Never Made It Campaign Portrays Consequences to Teens

The Never Made It teen safety belt campaign launches Oct. 1, encouraging teens to buckle up and arrive alive. Sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety, the campaign runs through October and conveys the potential consequences that teens may face when choosing not to wear their seat belts.

The campaign uses realistic, chilling images of teens that “never made it” to significant milestones in their lives, or even day-to-day activities they may take for granted. It addresses common excuses teens may use when not buckling up and the consequences of those choices.

Teens are an important group to reach with a seat belt message, especially in Missouri, where the teen safety belt usage rate is significantly lower than other drivers. October is a particularly dangerous month for Missouri’s young drivers. In 2007, more traffic crashes involving young drivers occurred in October than any other month.

Several media elements work together to reach young drivers, including cable and radio advertisements, along with an online advertising presence on popular teen Web sites. The campaign also complements the efforts under way for the Battle of the Belt challenge, where Missouri high schools compete against each other for the highest seat belt use.

For more information about the Never Made It campaign, Battle of the Belt or teen safety belt use, visit www.saveMOyouth.com.