Safety Coach
Buckled in Back
Let’s make it a priority to buckle up in the back as the Texas Department of Transportation marks the 23rd anniversary of its Click It Or Ticket campaign this May. Memorial Day weekend is approaching, the summer travel season is about to kick in, and chances are you or someone you know will be using a rideshare service on the way to or from the airport – most likely riding in the back seat.
More than 90% of Texans wear seat belts in the front seat, but research shows that number can drop by as much as 8 to 10 percentage points in the back. Unbuckled backseat passengers can become projectiles in a crash, raising safety risks for themselves and others riding in the vehicle. Why take risks?
- Watch/share this vintage TxDOT video: If you’re traveling at 60 mph and are involved in a collision and not wearing your seat belt, it’s like falling from a 12-story building.
The TxDOT Click It Or Ticket campaign, which runs through June 1, serves as a reminder that buckling up – on every trip and in every seat – is the simplest and most effective way to stay safe on the road. During the campaign, officers will step up patrols across the state to ensure drivers and passengers are wearing their seat belts – front and back.
Why It Matters
Since its launch, Click It Or Ticket has made a measurable difference:
- 8,000+ lives saved in Texas alone
- 140,000+ serious injuries prevented
- $42 billion in crash-related expenses saved
Why Do We Lag in Back?
People don’t always buckle up in the back for these reasons, according to a survey conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:
- They believe the back seat is safer
- They forget or are not in the habit of buckling up in the back seat
- They complain of discomfort or find it difficult to find and use seat belt components in the back seat
Seat Belts Save Lives – No Matter Where You Sit
Seat belts reduce front-seat car occupant deaths by about 45% and light-truck occupant deaths by about 60%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- Seat belts work with airbags to provide maximum protection
- Seat belts prevent ejection from vehicles, a leading cause of crash fatalities
- Rear-seat state laws vary, but the importance of buckling up does not
- Children should always be properly secured, ideally in the back seat, using the appropriate car seat or booster seat
Support the Campaign
TxDOT, working in cooperation with NHTSA, is targeting high-risk groups, including men and young adults 18 to 34, who are less likely to buckle up. Get free resources to enhance your education and training efforts:
- TxDOT: Safety videos and print materials
- NHTSA: Facts, social media graphics and talking points to use during a presentation
- Fortune teller poster to display: Secure Your Future – Good Fortune is No Accident, Buckle Up
Let’s raise seat belt use rates in the back seat and keep our No. 1 goal right up front: ensuring everyone is riding safely on the road.
Tailgate Talk
Safety Conscious
Bicycle riding is a great way to promote health and wellbeing at your location. Bicycling is also a great way for employees and their family members to stay active, enjoy the outdoors and reduce their carbon footprint. How can you get your team excited and involved?
- Start a bicycle riding club or get your team hooked up with an existing club
- Incentivize bicycle riding by tracking miles and rewarding riders with performance points
- Share the most popular bicycling trails in Texas, with detailed reviews, trail maps and driving directions
Be safety conscious, too. Like other forms of transportation, bicycle riding can come with risks. In fact, more than 1,100 bicyclists were killed in crashes in the U.S. in 2023 and nearly 50,000 more were injured, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In Texas alone, 105 bicycle riders were killed in crashes – an increase of 15.4% over 2022.
Whether you’re a bicyclist or a driver, everyone has a role to play in reducing incidents. So, let’s step up our game during National Bicycle Safety Month.
Understand the Risks
Knowing the facts helps everyone stay safer.
- Nationwide, bicycle crash incidents peak between June and September
- Most serious crashes involve collisions with motor vehicles
- Failing to yield and lack of visibility are two of the top contributing factors in fatal bicycle-involved crashes
- More than 75% of bicyclist fatalities occur in urban areas
- Bicycle fatalities are on the rise in the U.S., increasing by 53% from 2014 to 2023, according to the National Safety Council
Ride Responsibly
Bicyclists are legally required to follow the same traffic laws as motorists. Promote the use of bicycle helmets and share these safety tips:
Before You Ride
- Choose a helmet
- Ensure your helmet is fitted properly
- Inspect your brakes and tires
- Dress in light or reflective colors for visibility
While Riding
- Stay alert and avoid using electronic devices
- Follow lane markers and traffic signals
- Make eye contact with drivers before crossing
- Cross only at intersections, and never attempt to cross multi-lane highways
- Use designated bike lanes where available; if not, ride as far to the right as safely possible
- Equip your bike with a front light and rear red reflector or light when riding at night
Drivers: Do Your Part
With more than 80 million bicyclists sharing the road, drivers must also stay vigilant:
- Always check mirrors and blind spots for cyclists
- Use the far-hand reach technique when opening car doors; this helps you avoid opening a door into a rider by encouraging you to look back first
- Give cyclists plenty of space when passing, and slow down in areas where bicycle riders are most prevalent
Learn More
Share this free resource from the Texas Department of Transportation:
Together, we can make the roads safer for everyone – whether traveling on two wheels or four.