FASTEN SEAT BELT : STUDENTS CAUTION ‘VICE’ CHARACTER

“Miami Vice’s” Sonny Crockett should take the lead from Mr. T and buckle his seat belt on the screen, say Students Against Drunk Driving who think television characters should set a good example for viewers.

“He especially should wear one because everyone thinks he’s the coolest man on earth,” Hallandale High School student Carmen Vamudio said of Crockett, portrayed by Don Johnson. “He should set a good example by wearing a seat belt.”

The undercover cop isn’t the only good guy with a bad record for buckling up on the screen, according to a survey conducted by 130 SADD members in Broward County.

For two weeks, the students watched 156 television programs and 110 commercials to see whether stars use seat belts on the screen. They submitted their results to the Broward County Highway Safety Office, which requested their help, said Michelle Feibus, a spokeswoman for the safety office.

The students chose their own programs to watch, which ranged from “General Hospital” to “Hill Street Blues.” But most were interested in Don Johnson.

“They were really concerned that he doesn’t use seat belts,” said Debby Finkelstein, a SADD coordinator at Piper High School in Sunrise.

Larry Deutchman, director of the Entertainment Industry Committee for Safetybelts in Los Angeles, said youngsters are influenced by what their favorite stars do on weekly television programs.

“Stars are the role models,” he said. “Television clearly influences the public.”

While police officers have the greatest influence on children, TV cops rarely buckle up, said Steve Puritz, a SADD member at Piper High School.

Mr. T, of “The A-Team” and Cybill Shepherd of “Moonlighting” buckle up, but Daniel Travanti, who plays Capt. Furillo on “Hill Street Blues,” and Tom Selleck as “Magnum P.I.” do not.

The stars of “Simon and Simon” never bothered about seat belts, until now.

“We’ve been lax about it,” said John Stephens, the show’s executive producer. “Yes, we’re aware of it. Yes, we admit it. And, no, it won’t happen again.” He said future shows would have the private-eye Simon brothers buckled up.

Tempes Wood, an eighth-grader at Rogers Middle School in Fort Lauderdale, thinks that’s a good thing.

“If people see stars wear seat belts, they will too,” he said. “I never paid a lot of attention before. Now I will.”