18 minutes ago

YONKERS, N.Y. - Billy Ray Cyrus says he and his daughter, the “Hannah Montana” actress Miley Cyrus, simply forgot to buckle up for one of their scenes in their new hit movie.

“We got caught up in the moment of filming, and we made a mistake and forgot to buckle our seat belts,” the country music star said Wednesday on People magazine’s Web site. “Seat belt safety is extremely important.”

Consumer Reports magazine had noticed that the Cyruses were not wearing seat belts as they rode in the back of a Range Rover during Disney’s “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.”

Don Mays, the director of product safety at Consumers Union, which publishes Yonkers-based Consumer Reports, said Wednesday, “We applaud the Cyrus family for recognizing that wearing seat belts in rear seats is essential.”

The magazine had noted that 65 percent of the 13-to-15-year-olds killed in auto accidents in 2006 were not wearing seat belts. Miley Cyrus is 15.

Telephone calls and e-mails to Disney and to several of Miley Cyrus’ representatives were not immediately returned Wednesday.

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On the Net:

Billy Ray Cyrus statement: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20177635,00.html