Battle of the Belt Tennessee
An evidence-based program for Tennessee high schools designed to reduce motor vehicle injuries and fatalities by increasing seat belt use.Promoting Seat Belt Use, Preventing Fatalities and Injuries
Battle of the Belt TN is an evidence-based program for Tennessee high schools designed to reduce motor vehicle injuries and fatalities by increasing seat belt use. This is a program your school can conduct to change seat belt behavior for drivers at your school and in your community.
To encourage the community to always use their seatbelts, many schools have created digital scrapbooks, school websites, public service announcements, and social media initiatives to share with others.
The Tennessee Department of Health developed the program and is supported by the Tennessee Department of Education, the Tennessee Injury Prevention Coalition, level-one trauma centers, and many other partners.
Tennessee Injury Prevention Companion Initiatives and Programs
Contact
Contact the Injury and Violence Prevention Program at (615) 532-7778 for information on any of our initiatives.
Engaging Students, Families, Schools, and the Community
We recommend your school’s program begin in December and occur during the spring semester. Schools improve seat belt use by conducting a student-led educational program and three unannounced seat belt checks with faculty advisor support. Schools can document and showcase educational programs, seat belt use increase, or maintain a high seat belt use rate and share with students, faculty, parents, and community partners.
How the Program Works
Follow the instructions from the Battle of the Belt Resource Kit below to develop a timeline and plan to educate students, staff, and faculty about seatbelt use.
Use the Seat Belt Check form to complete three unannounced seat belt observations at campus entrances to track behavior change. These checks should be before any education begins, one month after education begins, and at the end of the program.
Create a digital scrapbook documenting the educational events, seat belt check data, and other important progress.
Share your completed scrapbook with community partners, school officials, students, and the Tennessee Department of Health (optional).
- Education Plan– Create your school’s campaign outline by using the Battle of the Belt TN Suggested School Education Plan
- Conduct Seat Belt Check #1 – Conduct Seat Belt Check #1 (by the first Friday in December) By using the BOTB Seat Belt Check Sheet.
- Conduct Seat Belt Check #2 – Conduct Seat Belt Check #2 (by the last Friday in February) By using the BOTB Seat Belt Check Sheet.
- Conduct Seat Belt Check #3 - Conduct Seat Belt Check #3 (by the last Friday in March) By using the BOTB Seat Belt Check Sheet.
- Share Your School’s Digital Scrapbook with the Tennessee Department of Health (optional) via email to Terrence.Love@tn.gov
Battle of the Belt Student Teams are encouraged to conduct creative, engaging, semester-long programing to improve seat belt use rates. Social media (videos, images, X, etc.), email blasts, presentations, announcements, flyers, contests, etc. are also strongly encouraged.
If you have questions, please email Terrence Love at terrence.love@tn.gov or call 615-532-7778.
Previous Winners
- Bledsoe County High School
- Hixson High School
- Memphis East High School
- Science Hill High School ( New )
- Summertown High School
- Sullivan East High School
- Unaka High School
- Unicoi High School
This Page Last Updated: March 26, 2026 at 3:42 PM