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!”

(source)