NHTSA Launches Tween Buckle-Up Campaign

As a mother of two tween boys, I’m often amazed at how quickly they go from shunning my help to desperately needing it. It’s the push and pull of growing up and like many parents, I’m trying to give them some independence. While I’m willing to compromise on many areas, I won’t budge when it comes to seat belts; the car doesn’t go until everyone is buckled in.

As children get older they’re less likely to buckle up. More than 1,600 tweens, ages 8-14, were killed in crashes over the past five years because they weren’t wearing seat belts, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On Thursday, NHTSA is conducting a Twitter chat safety campaign, Never Give Up Until They Buckle Up, to combat this tween trend and raise awareness among parents and caretakers. From 3-4 p.m. EDT, NHTSA’s team of experts will answer questions and share tips on Twitter. Send questions to @NHTSAGov and follow the conversation by using #kidsbuckleup and #tweens hashtags. Make sure to include the hashtags in your own comments or questions, too.

While we’re on the subject of tweens and seat belts, it’s important for parents to remember to keep their kids in booster seats in the backseat until the child is 4 feet 9 inches tall (no matter their age). And while this might get you some eye rolls, kids 12 and younger belong in the backseat. NHTSA recommends that tweens don’t get to ride in the front passenger seat until they’re 13 years old. While your kids will probably call you mean when you insist on following these guidelines, they’ll thank you when they’re older.