February is the month to show your love and it is a good time to remind teens to love their lives and buckle up. As part of their annual effort to encourage teen drivers to buckle up, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is partnering with high schools across the state to promote the Teen Click It or Ticket Campaign to talk to teens about how buckling up can save their lives. More than 750 schools have signed up to participate in the campaign.

Additionally, TxDOT also will make visits to schools and community events across the state with a truck that was mangled in a horrible rollover crash with two teen boys inside. Fortunately, the boys were wearing their seat belts and walked away from the crash. The truck is a compelling reminder of how seat belts save lives. The truck will travel across the state from February to May, generating awareness about this issue.

On February 25th the Teen Click It or Ticket Campaign will be coming to College Station High School. Texas A&M Extension Service’s Passenger Safety will also have a Rollover Convincer on hand to demonstrate what happens during a rollover crash and how important seat belts are to keep passengers from being ejected. Demonstrations will be conducted from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM behind the high school’s cafeteria.

Every year, new teen drivers get behind the wheel in Texas, and unfortunately, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of teen deaths nationwide. Teens are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

During 2011 in Texas, there were 1,074 motor vehicle traffic crashes in which unrestrained teen occupants, ages 15-20, sustained fatal or serious injuries. And, nearly half (46 percent) of the 295 teen occupants, ages 15–20, killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes were not wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash.

Since 2009, the Teen Click It or Ticket campaign has continued to grow in scope. This year, the campaign will reach 800,000 teenagers. Schools are provided educational materials to use on their campuses to encourage teens to buckle up. Observational survey results conducted after the campaign in 2012 show a seat belt usage increase of 4.1 percentage points for teen drivers.

The Teen Click It or Ticket Campaign has proven to be effective. Observational survey results conducted after the campaign in 2012 show a seat belt usage increase of 4.1 percentage points for teen drivers. Every year, new teen drivers get their licenses, making it important to continue these educational efforts on a regular basis. So, have your teen show their love for themselves and their family and friends by buckling up on every trip!