Texas Officials Launch 'Teen Click It Or Ticket' Campaign

AUSTIN, TX — The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual “Teen Click It or Ticket” campaign is visiting high school campuses and student events around the state to urge teens to buckle up, officials said.

The initiative kicks off in earnest on Friday, May 11, with an interactive educational exhibit will highlight the life-saving importance of wearing seat belts at the University of Texas at Austin campus. The event will feature a new “If you love it, click it” virtual reality presentation fronting a mangled truck involved in a rollover crash that two teens survived with only minor scratches thanks to their seat belts. The educational exhibit also includes video kiosks of the teens telling their compelling story.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. Teen drivers also are involved in twice as many fatal crashes as adult drivers. Forty-two percent of teens killed in crashes in Texas in 2016 were not wearing a seat belt, TxDot officials said.

Last year, there were 33 motor vehicle traffic crashes in Austin in which unrestrained occupants sustained fatal or serious injuries. These crashes resulted in seven fatalities and 27 serious injuries, according to TxDot data. Officials remind motorists that Texas law requires everyone in a vehicle to be buckled up, including back-seat passengers. Unbuckled drivers and passengers face fines and court costs of up to $200 per person.

In safeguarding the state's roads, TxDot has its work cut out for it. The agency is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail, and public transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership, we deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that enables the movement of people and goods. Find out more at txdot.gov, and/or “like” them on Facebook, follow on Twitter/TxDOTAustin.

WHAT: “Teen Click It or Ticket” campaign

WHEN: Friday, May 11 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

WHERE: UIL Track & Field Championship Mike A. Myers Stadium – The University of Texas at Austin

707 Clyde Littlefield Dr.

>>> Top image via Shutterstock, logo courtesy of Texas Department of Transportation