NHTSA targets ‘tweens’ in safety belt campaign

Washington – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a national safety belt campaign targeted at parents of children ages 8 to 14.

The campaign includes links to guidelines, videos and other resources for parents. NHTSA said it is important to reach out to parents of “tweens” because about half of all children in that age group who were killed in vehicle crashes in the past five years were unbelted.

The agency offers several guidelines for parents to promote safety belt use:

• Be a role model: Buckle up in front of your children.
• Be consistent: Make sure you and your children buckle up every single time before moving the car.
• Be informed: See that your child wears a safety belt that fits properly.
• Be firm: Let your children know that wearing a safety belt is not negotiable.

“Kids will always test the limits with their parents or caregivers, but there is no room for compromise when it comes to wearing a seat belt,” NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said in a press release. “Sounding like a broken record can save your child’s life. Kids need constant reminders and this is one that can’t be skipped.”