Information for Parents
Hold onto the one you love —
with a seat belt.
Most parents agree it’s the right thing to do: Every child should wear his or her seat belt, and, if they are under 13, the child should sit in a back seat. The challenge is making it happen. But guess what? You may have more influence than you think. When 8- to 13-year-olds were asked in a recent survey what might get them to wear a seat belt, most cited their own parents. What’s more, tweens mimic their parents when it comes to belts: If parents buckle up, so do their children. How can you get your child buckled safely in back? Check out these five ideas:
Five Ways to Get Your Tween
Safely Buckled Up in a Back Seat:
1 Let them pick the radio stations.
Eight to 12-year-olds, like tweens everywhere, are eager to make their own choices, and picking a radio station is often high on their list. Make a deal with your child: If the child sits buckled in back, he or she can pick the radio stations. Otherwise, it’s my old-fogey music or the radio news.
2 Give them something to do.
A back seat can be a great place for playing electronic games. Store games in a back seat and make games in the front seat off limits.
3 Let them own the space.
Tweens are eager to claim their own space. Let them set up places to keep things in a back seat so that’s the first place they want to go.
4 Buckle up.
Tweens do what you do — if you buckle up, they are more likely to do the same.
5 Tell them it’s the law.
Seat belts are mandatory by law. Let tweens know belt use isn’t an option; it’s the law.
Download a pdf of the flyer for parents by clicking here: English Español