Note to Hannah Montana: Seat belts are necessary not an accessory

Many parents would agree that 15-year-old superstar Hannah Montana, a.k.a. Miley Cyrus, is a good role model for kids.  But a gaffe in her Disney blockbuster 3-D movie, "Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour" might challenge that opinion. 

Why?  One scene in the movie shows Miley and her dad, country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, riding in the back seat of a Range Rover on the way to rehearsal for the concert tour.  Neither was wearing a seat belt.

Why should we care?  Because, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in about 55 percent of passenger vehicle fatalities in 2006 (the latest data available), the occupants were not wearing seat belts.  Even worse, in the 13- to 15-year-old age group, that percentage climbs to 65 percent.  Unfortunately, we’re not surprised by these grim statistics because a 2002 survey by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety showed that when parents were dropping teens off at school in the morning, nearly half the teens weren’t using seat belts.

It seems to us that Miley, her father, and Disney had a perfect opportunity to help influence teens and counteract—rather than encourage—this trend.  Then again, as Hannah herself sings, "Everybody makes mistakes."  Maybe Hannah, Billy and Disney, will take a tip from the rest of Hannah’s song and get it right next time around: "Nobody's Perfect! I gotta work it! Again and again 'til I get it right. Nobody's Perfect!"

Update
Miley's dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, says "we made a mistake" and agrees that seat belt use is "important." Read the full story.

Comments

[EMT]

To all of you who are fortunate enough NOT to see the devastation, not wearing a seat belt has on lives. I tell ya, I have seen too many times the waste of life by the careless thought of not wearing seat belts. I am sorry that the rest of you feel that it is NOT important to wear seat belts. However, God forbid, I bet you if Miley Cyrus were involved in a car accident and was not wearing her seat belt and was badly injured. ALL of you would have said. Why was she not wearing her seat belt? Please, for your safety and your kids safety. Buckle up for safety.

[Daniel Sassano]

The people that need to help influence kids to wear seatbelts start in the home. I have two kids of mine own, and it is MY responsibility to make sure they are safe in the car not some teenage actor. So the passage that states "Even worse, in the 13- to 15-year-old age group, that percentage climbs to 65 percent." Is a pretty poor example of the adults in the care not taking care of thier responsibilty to those children

[Luther Coman]

Do you think I'm going to wear a set belt because I saw someone on TV? Comon. I see people on TV smoking while they drive but I don't smoke.

[Alison]

For any celebrity to escape the largely petty and small minded attacks wielded by the media and/or bloggers he or she would have to be completely and utterly without any faults. I am not perfect, my teenager daughters are not perfect and I don't expect their role models to be either. We should be celebrating this girl for the positive image she projects. Shame on you Consumer Reports!

[Jerry Bell]

I'm very surprised by this article and to be honest I haven't seen the movie yet.

However, this is a MOVIE and there’s some facts missing from this article which should be revised immediately!

Were both Miley & Billy Ray really driving in a car out on the highway? Or was it in the studio?

What state were they driving in? The last time I checked there were a few states that do not have the seat belt law (click it or ticket).

I myself "buckle up for safety" as well as my wife, my 7 year old & my 5 year old. However, this is America and in this country there's freedom of choice.

If Consumer Reports wishes to post an article like this, they should include all the facts in the article! I've been member of Consumer Reports for years and after reading this article I will most likely cancel my subscription.

Miley Cyrus & her father are great role models for kids in so many ways. And let’s remember, no one is perfect! Including the person who wrote this article who left out all the facts out!!!

Jerry Bell

[Vickie C]

People, please! It is a MOVIE. Movies are not real life-duh! Miley and dad were ACTING under a DIRECTOR, so blame the director, if anyone-can ya'all get a life? I was in a few accidents when I was a kid, before all these rules (and law-suit madness) and I am still well and alive. Never put an eye out, did not develop cancer because my parents smoked...BE REAL. Find someone else to pick on-don't ruin this beautiful girl like Brittney was...nuff said.

[jen]

Honestly... I find it most sad that Yahoo linked to this story as if it were REAL news.

The stats in this blog show 13-15 y/o are being a surprisingly high percentage. In most cases at this age, the kids are either in the car with friends who have a driver's license or with their parents. Driving with their freinds, the kids lack good judgement. With their parents, they both lack good judgement.

Unless you can correlate watching Hannah Montana to increased automobile deaths, this is just a lot of hot air. It's like blaming the obesity epidemic on the existence of peanut butter.

It isn't Hannah Montana's job to teach kids to have a sense of self preservation!

[Health Care Provider In Maryland]

For all those that said that the seat belt issue surrounding this movie is not important, needs to spend a week, not a day - for it would not effect you as much - here at my nursing home. We have several long term residents that has come to us due to car accidents. One such young lady is 23 years old and has been her since she was 17 and will remain here until she dies. Another lady is 44, mother of three and will never be able to give her children the love they want/deserve due to a car accident. A young man who 21 years ago was injured in an car accidentand is paralzed from the neck down with no hope of ever going home to care for himself. All these residents are the results from not wearing seatbelts. No matter if in the front or the back, out of my 28 years as a Health Care Director, I have seen so many come in to stay long term and just as many die when all it would have taken was 2 minutes to strap in. You be the judge: 2 minutes of safety or a lifetime of pain.

[Kim Stowell]

Wow! You folks in the press just can not stand it can you? A nice, talented young person that seems to be flying right and you just have to go looking for SOMETHING to criticize don't you? Please, get over yourselves.

Congratulations on your continued success Miley.

[ss]

wow...finally have a decent kid in hollywood and you have to search for a problem. How many people/kids would ever have noticed the seat belt..they aren't watching a safty video.

[JWS]

Why is it hollywood can light up in 90% of the movies contributing to the deaths of hundreds of thousands and it is not news. Yet a girl too young to drive is allowed by her parent to not wear a seatbelt and it is suddenly Disney's responsibility, not each parent's, to teach our kids to wear seatbelts. I would find it hard to believe a teen would be influenced either way by someone reaching for or not reaching for a seatbelt in a brief movie scene. But no one gets upset when any number of celebrities blow smoke rings to look cool. Hmmm, I wonder which is more likely to influence teen behaviour....

[LeAnna Murphy]

Shouldn't this be about Billy Ray Cyrus letting his child ride in the car without a seatbelt? After all she is only 15, and at 15 one is not expected to be an adult. He is the parent. She is under his care. If they were pulled over, he would receive the ticket. I think it is too bad that he showed such lack of judgement. But, I would like to think that I as a parent have more influence on my child's safety than some actor/singer. If we don't as parents, what kind of world is this going to be in 20 years.

[Heather]

Please, it was a mistake. Get passed it and teach your kids the safety lesson yourself. And explain in detail what would happen to her if they crashed. I'm sure if not destracted, they would have put them on. It is OUR responsibility as parents to make sure the lesson to our kids is learned. The media has responsibility also, but the bottom line is "Parents - DO YOUR JOB, do it now, and do it right!"

[Rebekah]

I am a mother to a 4 yr old super Hannah Montana fan. I have noticed that the media has been attacking Miley for the smallest things...and it is very sad to me.I took my daughter to see the movie and she loved it...even though my daughter was one of the youngest in the crowd I can honestly say that NONE of those girls were paying any attention that Miley and her father were not wearing a seatbelt in the backseat (I remind you).Normally I could care less..and really what can this comment do but it really rubbbed me the wrong way when I read that about her not wearing her seatbelt.I am just thankful that my daughter has someone like Miley to look up to. I think she is great. So ppl back off her. Like I said those girls watching that concert were busy rockin' out to her and in aww of her being there in front of her in such a realistic way. Media pls get over it....she is not the one you need to be reporting on.

[D'Man]

Leave it to adults to taint the innocence of children's enjoyment.

I would be willing to bet that if interviewed, not one person between the age of 13-15 who saw the movie would have even made notice of the seatbelts not being worn. As a matter of fact, if not for this article, I don't think any child would ever have noticed (consciously or subconsciously).

Is it really that important that we try to find something to tear down this poor girl? Is it so wrong that she's been so successful? Just let her enjoy the rewards or her hardwork.

[Me]

I've gotta say my husband and I went to this movie with our two children, ages 7 and 4, and I didn't even notice the whole seat belt thing. This is probably the most stupid news blog I've ever read. The kids were not at the movie to notice seat belts, and I guarantee my kids didn't notice whether she wore her seat belt or not. We are a family of seat belt wearers... it's just not an option in our vehicles. I'm tired of people blaming role models for poor parenting!!!

[Harold van Beek]

Yeah, and they needed to wear a safety helmet too??? The people in the USA are crazy when it comes to this kind of bull(beep)! Remember Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwartzenegger and Bruce Willis in their action movies they do not wear seat belts, jump out of planes or jump on trains. Is there any info how many children were killed doing those kind of stunts?
Common it is a movie and when they are in this movie they are hooked up to all sort of other things. Duhhh!

[JLee]

Gimme a break. It's a movie and people need to remember, disclipine, morals and values comes from parents and families, NOT THE MOVIES OR TELEVISION! Therefore, if it's an "issue" to any parents who saw the movie and thought it was wrong that she didn't wear her seatbelt, then parents, remind your children about always wearing their seatbelts. Use that part of the movie as a learning tool. Quit relying on TV stars, movies and the media to teach your children what is right or wrong. It all comes right back to the responsibilities of parenting and discipline. Journalism needs to be real journalism! Today's journalism is nothing but trash, untruthful garbage and gossip columns. What a waste of time!

[Susan Chappelear]

I just gotta say that I think it's rediculous that you all think that any of the children that watched that movie would have even noticed she didn't have her seat belt on. I mean come on. We have to remind them to brush thier teeth every day of thier lives, to buckle up every time they get in the car. So if they can't remember to do it themselves then what makes you think they would pay any attention to a small detail in a movie thats not about seatbelts? Get real! I say no harm, no foul. I would guess without you pointing it out none of them would have even noticed.

[kathy]

It is not a star's responsiablity to make sure your child is safe. There is alot of people out there who have way to much time on there hands, they need to get a life and back off Miley Cyrus. People it's a movie back off, if you teach your children what is right and what is wrong they can not be influenced by a movie. Spend time with your kids like Billy Ray does and you will know your child!!!!!!!

Kathy

[Lucy]

Shame on Consumer Reports, you are assuming the Miley, her father and Disney did this on purpose. How about a gentle reminder to Miley, her father, Disney and us about remembering to buckle up instead of this overblown -OMG Hannah Montana is a horrible role model because she isn't wearing a seatbelt and she want all your children to die- overreaction?

Aside from calling you out for this utterly stupid post, good job on getting the main stream media to pick this story up, even if it makes you look dumb.

[Scott]

Media reporters:
I bet when you were growing up, that you wore your seatbelt. Before there were groups like you pushing right and wrong down people's throat, Kids, teens and parents did not wear seatbelts...And guess what-we are still alive. You will not stop until you can find some dirt on this girl. If only you could report the truth in a story, that would be nice.

[Luda Christoper]

Are you people freakin' kidding me?!?!? Give me a break. I used to stand up and ride in the back of the car when I was a kid. I own a 1957 Chevy...guess what? no seatbelts. It was an option. The sanitization of America has to stop. It really is ridiculous.

[Irene]

Are you kidding me? It's a movie. Don't we tell our children "this is not real", "don't do/say what you see/hear in the movies" ? Ultimately it is up to the parents to make sure that their young passengers are wearing seatbelts. Just because Hannah Montana sports cute clothes, has the use of a cell phone and is sooo cool to our children does not mean I'll allow my children to do the same things she is doing on screen. Think about the things we watched as kids. Movies are entertainment if they had to think about all the minute details being written in the script to keep the safety team off their backs they would never finish. No wonder writers go on strike.

[EJ]

This is a movie production issue not a personal one. She's just following the script people. Was the car she was in the safest car in the market or were they driving 1 mile over the speed limit? You guys are trying way too hard.