TIL that while only 9.7% of Americans don't wear seatbelts, 47% of those who die in car crashes were not wearing seat belts.

The Issue Seat Belt Safety for Tweens

When Is My Child Ready for an Adult Seat Belt?

The time to transition your child out of a booster seat and into a seat belt usually comes when the child is between 8 and 12 years old. Keep your children in booster seats until they outgrow the size limits of the booster seats or are big enough to fit properly in seat belts.

See how your child should be using her seat belt Watch the video

Fitting a Child Correctly in a Seat Belt For your child to properly fit in a seat belt, he or she must be tall enough to sit without slouching and be able to: Keep his or her back against the vehicle seat;

Keep his or her knees naturally bent over the edge of the vehicle seat; and

Keep his or her feet flat on the floor. Additionally: The lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach.

The shoulder belt should lie snug across the shoulder and chest, and not cross the neck or face.

Never let a child put the shoulder belt under an arm or behind the back because it could cause severe injuries in a crash.

Keep your child in the back seat because it is safer there. Remember, always check your child’s belt fit in every vehicle. A booster seat may be needed in some vehicles and not in others. If the seat belt does not fit properly yet, your child should continue to use a booster seat. Modeling Seat Belt Safety As a parent, you are your kids’ strongest influence when it comes to modeling safe driving practices, including buckling up every time you get in the car. Teach your family that safety is the responsibility of all passengers as well as the driver.

Tweens (8-14) As your child grows, you may face challenges enforcing seat belt safety. Life as a parent is full of compromises, but seat belt safety is never up for negotiation. Follow these pointers and set the example of buckling up every time you get into the car. And remember: Never give up until they buckle up! NOTE: All children under 13 ride in the back seat for maximum safety.

You’re the #1 Influence: Make Sure Your Tween is Properly Buckled Up the Whole Ride, Every Time Seat Belt Safety Starts With Good Role Models Learning the importance of wearing a seat belt starts with a good role model—and that’s you. As a parent or caregiver, you are the number one influence on your child’s seat belt safety. Research shows that children whose parents buckle up are much more likely to buckle up themselves. Consistency is Key Consistently remind your children to buckle up properly the whole ride, and never assume they’re buckled up! Learn tips to motivate your tweens to buckle up, and make it a rule in your family that everyone follows the same practices as you: Always buckle up before moving the car, no matter how short or routine the drive, and make sure all children are buckled up properly. The Proper Seat Belt Fit for Your Child The risk of injury among child passengers is significantly higher when their seat belts are loose and/or improperly positioned. Learn about the proper seat belt fit for your child and why your children may not be wearing their seat belts correctly. Front or Back—When is the Front Seat Safe for My Child? All children under age 13 should ride in the back seat for maximum safety. The back seat is the safest place for your children because most crashes occur in the front of the car and the back seat is farthest from this impact. Why Parents and Caregivers Forget About or Forego Seat Belt Safety We know life as a parent is full of distractions and often hectic, making it easy to forget or forego buckling up altogether. See if any of these excuses for not buckling up sound familiar, then do whatever it takes to buckle up and make sure your kids do the same: Rushed and chaotic pre-travel routines

Need to minimize conflict or keep the peace

Seat belt discomfort or perceived nuisance when in a hurry

Shorter distances, slower speeds and familiar roads falsely associated with lower risk

Kids persistently asking to ride in the front seat

Tips to Motivate Your Tweens to Buckle Up Getting your kids to properly buckle up and stay buckled can be a battle of wills. There are several reasons why children 8 to 14 may forget or not want to wear their seat belts. For as many reasons as your kids can protest against wearing a seat belt, we’ve got tips to help you motivate them to buckle up. Tweens are going through several developmental stages—social, cognitive and emotional—which offer helpful insights into what makes sense to them and what motivates them. Learn about the developmental stages and motivational messages get your kids to buckle up properly, the whole ride, every time.

It’s Non-Negotiable: Tween Seat Belt Safety We know you make every effort to keep your kids safe. However, parenting can be a hectic job. The daily routine of getting your kids to and from school and other activities can be hurried and chaotic, creating an environment where insisting on wearing a seat belt is not top of mind. See if you face these five challenges to getting tweens to wear — and stay in — their seat belts.

No Matter How Hurried or Chaotic, Don’t Negotiate! As a parent, sometimes you let your kids have their way. But their safety should never be up for negotiation, no matter how much they push back on the seat belts being uncomfortable or unnecessary for just a “short drive.” Here are some tips to help you win the seat belt battle: Consistently Model Seat Belt Safety. Teaching your children to consistently wear seat belts can take a great deal of resolve. Your first line of defense, as your children’s number one influence, is to wear your seat belt and insist that all family members do the same. Never Give Up Until They Buckle Up. Make sure your kids are buckled up with their lap and shoulder belt—no shoulder belts behind their backs or under their arms, or seat belts so loose that they can wrestle in the back seat. Learn how to motivate your kids to buckle up properly and consistently using age-appropriate messages and rewards to reinforce the importance of seat belt safety. Never Assume Your Kids Are Buckled Up. One conversation is not enough: Remind your children to wear their seat belts every time they get into a car—no matter whose car it is—and stay buckled up, including at night and on longer rides. Teenagers