Teens Receive Strong Seat Belt Message with Never Made It Campaign

Law enforcement agencies around the state participated in an enforcement campaign March 28 – April 13, focusing on reducing injuries and deaths among young drivers on Missouri roadways.

Enforcement was coupled with an aggressive media advertising campaign for teens, including television, radio and Internet ads. The campaign portrayed realistic, chilling images coupled with a “Never Made It” message to convey the potential consequences of not buckling up.

“Our young drivers are a high-risk age group,” said Leanna Depue, chair of the executive committee of the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety. “It’s imperative that we all work together to change this alarming reality.”

Consider these facts:

• In 2006, 153 teen (ages 14 to 19) vehicle occupants were killed. Of those killed, 73 percent were not wearing a seat belt.
• Safety belt use among Missouri teens is 61 percent. In contrast, this usage rate is dramatically lower when compared to Missouri’s overall safety belt usage rate of 77 percent.

For more information on teen safety belt use and the Never Made It campaign, visit www.saveMOyouth.com.