Texas State University Students Excite Kids About Buckling Up
Five students from Texas State University-San Marcos are a part of the PRSSA National Bateman Competition team. Their mission is to implement a seat belt safety campaign in Lockhart, TX, targeting children 11-14. With the help of the community, these students hope to save many children's lives.


    /College News News Articles/ - SAN MARCOS, TX, February 22, 2008 - Buckle up Lockhart...You are in for a Ride

Texas State students implement event-packed seat belt safety campaign during February

One in three students at Lockhart Junior High admits to not wearing a seat belt when riding in a vehicle. The most common reason students gave for not buckling up was because "the trip was too short" or "it is too much trouble to buckle up."

The findings are part of a campaign that kicked off Monday, Feb. 4 at a Lockhart Junior High. The Texas State students introduced their buckle up campaign to more than 150 parents, faculty and students at a boys basketball game. The goal of the campaign is to improve seat belt usage in Lockhart, particularly among children ages 11-14.

The campaign is called "Rock the Belt" and is being organized by five students from Texas State University as part of a national competition organized through the Public Relations Society of America.

"Our hope is to make a lasting impression on Lockhart regarding seat belt safety by making buckling up second nature," said Lauren Davis of the campaign team. "Buckling up is something that takes only a few seconds to do that can be the difference between life and death."

The Texas State students are working with Lockhart Junior High faculty, parents, Glosserman Chevrolet, the Dell Children's Hospital in Austin and many Lockhart businesses in organizing events that will encourage seat belt usage.

"Glosserman Chevrolet is more than happy to join forces with the buckle up campaign. I believe that corporate responsibility is important when it comes to the safety of the community," said Jeffry Michelson, GM of Glosserman Chevrolet.

With the help of local businesses such as Glosserman Chevrolet, LTX Event Masters and Safe Kids Austin, the campaign team members successfully promoted seat belt safety Feb. 8 to more than 300 students attending Lockhart Junior High's LTX Activity Night.

Last week, Lockhart Junior High faculty distributed "I pledge to always buckle up" cards and the campaign team advertised $1 off entry and a chance to enter a prize drawing if students presented their pledge cards at the door. The campaign team was successful in creating value to the pledge cards, as 38 percent of attendees remembered their cards.

Glosserman Chevrolet made available five sparkling vehicles, three of which were used to inform parents of the safety features offered on new Chevrolet vehicles. Gift certificates were awarded to the first 50 parents who stopped by the safety stations. The other two vehicles were used to encourage students to buckle up once they were sitting behind the wheel, buckled up, of course.

Another hugely popular display was the use of a life-sized rollover simulator that came from the Texas Engineering Extension Service at Texas A & M University. It was used to show kids what happens to occupants in a rollover crash when restrained and unrestrained.

The campaign culminates Feb. 29, when organizers partner with Safe Kids Austin and Glosserman Chevrolet to host a "Chevy car seat check-up," in which parents can learn how to properly install and secure car seats for infants and even trade a car seat in if it is not functioning correctly.

The campaign team urges parents, teachers and other community members to remind children of all ages -- and adults, too -- to buckle up. Jennifer Clark, another campaign team member, said, "We selected Lockhart because it's a community where we could make a great impact."

The Texas State University students feel their campaign should be put into action in future years to remind Lockhart of seat belt safety and the difference buckling up can make.

For more information, visit www.rockthebelt.ning.com.

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Press Release Contact Information:

Lauren Davis
Rock the Belt
National Bateman CompetitionTeam
601 University Dr.
San Marcos, TX
USA 78666
Voice: 817-366-9562
Website: Visit Our Website