Chevrolet’s Clever New Trick to Help Teens Buckle up
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in North America, which is no big surprise considering young drivers have among the lowest rates of seat belt use.
To address this issue, Chevrolet is adding a new feature called Buckle to Drive to its Teen Driver system, introduced in 2015. The technology, which can prevent the driver from shifting the vehicle out of park if their seat belt is not buckled, marks a first in the auto industry.
“Buckle to Drive is Chevrolet’s latest feature designed to encourage young drivers to develop safe driving habits right from the start,” said Tricia Morrow, Chevrolet safety engineer. “Buckle to Drive is embedded in Chevrolet’s Teen Driver system and is aimed at helping remind teens to buckle up every time they get behind the wheel.”
How does it work? When the Teen Driver mode is activated, if the vehicle is on and the driver’s seat belt is not buckled, the driver won’t be able to shift out of park for up to 20 seconds. When the brake pedal is pressed, the driver will hear an audible alert and see a message in the driver information center that reads “Buckle seat belt to shift.”
A study conducted by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) found that a similar feature increased the seat belt use of adults who occasionally use a seat belt by 16 percent compared to the standard audible chime seat belt reminder in a Chevrolet vehicle.
Chevrolet’s Teen Driver system with the Buckle to Drive feature will be standard on the 2020 Chevrolet Traverse, Malibu and Colorado, all scheduled to arrive in the U.S. this summer. Canadian availability remains to be specified.