COLORADO — What’s the one thing or person that influenced you as a teenager to do something you probably shouldn’t have, got you in trouble, and made you say, “Wow, I won’t do that again”? 

The most significant influence on a teenager is the people surrounding them. Whether it’s a family member or a best friend, there’s someone who will persuade you to “jump off a cliff, because they would too” (another popular saying from all of our parents). Most people have heard the saying, “Don’t succumb to peer pressure.” However, not all peer pressure is created equal. Some peer pressure can be used for good.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), being properly restrained reduces your risk for injury by 50% and death by up to 65%. This information exposes the level of risk people take when they choose not to buckle up in a vehicle, and teenagers have the lowest seat belt use of any other age group.

So who can persuade them to make a different choice? You. The number one influence is their parents, because kids model behavior after caregivers. 

In Colorado, the Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) that your teenager receives requires all drivers under the age of 18 and their passengers, regardless of age, to wear a seat belt. This is a primary enforcement law, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having a passenger unrestrained.

Set the example for your teenager, and “Peer Pressure” them into wearing a seat belt. Influence them to set a standard for themselves and their friends, because it may just save their lives.