Valley Teen Traffic Deaths Up as Seat Belt Use Declines
Staff Report
PHARR TX – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is reinforcing the importance of seat belt safety among teenagers with its Teen Click It or Ticket campaign, as data shows a troubling increase in unrestrained teen fatalities.
In 2023, Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy counties recorded 25 crashes involving unrestrained teen occupants, resulting in four fatalities and 22 serious injuries. Hidalgo County alone saw 18 such crashes, with three deaths and 16 serious injuries.
In the Pharr District, which encompasses eight counties, there were 26 crashes involving unbuckled teens, leading to five fatalities and 22 serious injuries.
Statewide, 132,665 motor vehicle crashes in 2023 resulted in 1,943 serious injuries and 296 fatalities among drivers and passengers aged 15-20. Among the teen fatalities, 144—nearly half—were not wearing seat belts.
From 2022 to 2023, Texas saw a 6% rise in crashes involving teens who were not wearing seat belts. Of the 296 teen traffic fatalities in 2023, nearly half—49%—were unbuckled at the time of the crash.
“These fatalities serve as a sobering wake-up call,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “Every time someone gets in a car and skips buckling up, they’re taking a deadly gamble. In the event of a crash, seat belts can give you the best chance to survive, and yet far too many Texas teens are still skipping this critical safety step.”
The Teen Click It or Ticket campaign runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, bringing a statewide tour to high schools and community colleges in areas with low teen seat belt use. The tour features a display of a wrecked truck involved in a crash where two teens survived because they were wearing seat belts, as well as an interactive vehicle with safety messages.
Beyond being a life-saving measure, wearing a seat belt is also the law. Drivers and passengers—regardless of where they sit in the vehicle—can face fines and fees of up to $200 for not buckling up.
The campaign calls on parents, educators, and communities to emphasize seat belt use among teens, highlighting that young drivers are more likely to buckle up when adults set the example.
The effort is part of TxDOT’s broader #EndTheStreakTX initiative, which aims to raise awareness about safe driving and end the daily streak of roadway fatalities in Texas. The state has not seen a single death-free day on its roads since Nov. 7, 2000.
TxDOT urges all drivers and passengers to buckle up, emphasizing that the simple action could mean the difference between life and death.
Source – Texas Department of Transportation