Seat belts separate car accidents from fatal car accidents. Statistics show they save lives, so why doesn’t every teen use them every time they get in the car?
Here are the top 10 excuses teens use for not wearing a seat belt:
1. I forgot. Talking and texting with friends are distractions that can make teens forget to buckle up. The pressure of a package on your lap can make them feel as if they are buckled. Buckling up should be part of the starting routine so they do it without thinking every time they get in the car.
2. There are not enough seat belts for everyone. If 6 kids want to go and there are only 5 seat belts, they need another vehicle. Unbelted passengers are a danger to everyone else in the car. If the car stops suddenly, the unbelted passengers turn into bouncing balls and crash into everyone else. They can die and kill another person.
3. I don’t want to be directed! This is one of those ridiculous urban legends that someone made up and now people repeat as if it were true. There have been extremely rare cases where cars have crashed into obstacles with such force that seat belts have cut into the bodies inside. In those cases, the passengers could not have survived the accident anyway. And they are extremely, extremely rare. Seat belts save lives. Period.
4. So they can escape if the car goes off the road into a river. First: cars rarely go off the road and into the water. Second, if this were to happen, the seat belt would keep them in their seat so they wouldn’t be knocked unconscious when the vehicle hit the water. At least, with their seat belts on, they would have a good chance of making it out alive.
5. Just down the block. Life is unpredictable. Most accidents happen close to home.
6. The seat belt is uncomfortable. Make sure he is wearing it correctly so that it is not crossed over his neck. Beyond that, it’s worth a little discomfort to save your life.
7. Nobody else wears one. If other people in the car are not wearing seat belts, they should be told to buckle up or get out of the car. Driving in a car with unbelted passengers is very dangerous.
8. I don’t want to ruin her clothes. Your clothes will not be ruined by a seat belt. If it is so important to keep a special outfit impeccable, they must change their clothes at the destination.
9. No seat belts in the back of the truck. No one should ever ride in the back of a truck. It’s too dangerous and illegal in most places.
10. They want to sleep. It is dangerous to recline car seats too far, so they should remain fairly upright with seat belts on. (Face it: Most teens could sleep through a tornado anyway.)
There is no good excuse for not wearing a seat belt. Buckling up should be a habit that everyone does without thinking. Talk to your teen about all the possible excuses she might have, and make sure she knows that none of them are okay.
You’ll find great videos to reinforce the seat belt lesson at http://TeensLearnToDrive.com