This week, and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: alcohol, inconsistent or no seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and number of passengers.

Facts about Teen Driver Fatalities

Source: NHTSA, https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/teen-safety/national-teen-driver-safety-week/rules-road

  • Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States.
  • In 2019, there were 2,042 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver, of which 628 deaths were the teen driver.
  • Parents can be the biggest influencers on teens’ choices behind the wheel if they take the time to talk with their teens about some of the biggest driving risks.
TEEN DRIVER STATISTICS 
 

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury and death for young adults (ages 15-20) in the United States. According to the most recent teen driver safety statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 205,000 young drivers were injured in traffic crashes in 2019 and 1,603 young drivers died in traffic crashes in 2019. 

Most teen crashes can be prevented with plenty of quality parent supervised driving practice to help teenagers gain experience in a variety of driving environments and to develop the critical driving skills they need. Most teen driver crashes are due to three “critical errors:” lack of scanning, speeding, and distractions.  

Teenage driving statistics also show that teens are also more likely to crash if impaired, using a cell phone, or with peer passengers. Parents can help teens manage these crash risks by setting and enforcing house rules to keep them safe. These rules should include seat belt use on every ride, every time, and limiting nighttime driving and peer passengers until the first full year of independent driving.

Sharing teen driver statistics and proven ways to prevent crashes will help keep your family safe. Insist on safe driving behaviors and promote their use with house driving rules and plenty of communication. 

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