CLAY COUNTY – In a joint effort to promote teen safety on the road, the Florida Department of Transportation, Target Zero, State Farm and the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition are excited to announce the development and free offering of a new “Battle of the Belts” kit. This statewide initiative is designed to encourage teens to wear safety belts through fun, interactive activities within their schools.

The “Battle of the Belts” kit is a comprehensive resource packed with tools that Florida high schools can utilize to raise awareness and encourage safety belt use among students. This initiative aligns with the Coalition’s mission to reduce teen-related traffic crashes and fatalities by empowering young people to take an active role in their safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teens have the lowest rate of safety belt use compared to other age groups, with nearly 60% of teens involved in fatal crashes being unbuckled at the time of the crash.

Included in the free Battle of the Belts Kit are:

• Two Fence Banners – These are eye-catching banners to display around school campuses.

• Student Pledge Banner – A banner where students can always pledge to wear safety belts.

• Educational Posters – Informative posters highlighting the life-saving importance of safety belts.

• Educational Rack Cards – Handy cards with quick facts and safety tips to distribute to students.

• Blank Posters for Student Artwork/Messaging – Blank canvases for students to create safety messages.

• Morning Announcements Ideas – Ready-to-use scripts to remind students daily about the importance of buckling up.

• Chalk/Messaging Ideas – Creative ideas for spreading the safety message on the school campus through sidewalk chalk.

• Marquee Messaging Ideas – Suggest incorporating seat belt safety messages into school marquee displays.

“We are thrilled to provide this free kit to schools across Florida,” said Melissa Hamrick, Director of the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition, “Our goal is to create a culture of safety among teens by educating them on the importance of buckling up in a vehicle as part of their daily habit. This kit provides the tools for education and empowers students to take ownership of the message and spread it among their peers.

In addition to the newly created Battle of the Belts Kit, State Farm has provided funding to support the creation of the Ground Your Parents Safe Driving Campaign since 2020, an effort to raise awareness among parents of their essential duty to model safe driving behavior for their teens. According to NHTSA, parents are the number one role model and influencer regarding teen safe driving habits. The Ground Your Parents campaign aims to get teens talking to their parents about “practicing what they preach” when driving safely. 

“At State Farm, we believe that collaboration and education are key to creating safer communities,” said Jose Soto, Corporate Responsibility Analyst at State Farm. “Our partnership with the Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition reflects our commitment to empowering young drivers with the knowledge and tools they need to make responsible choices on the road.”

Schools interested in receiving the “Battle of the Belts” kit can visit BattleOfTheBelts.org for additional tools, ideas and campaign support. Together, we can reduce the number of injuries and fatalities on our roads.