Did you know that according to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Almost 2,400 teens aged 13–19 lost their lives in car crashes in 2019, which is about seven teens a day.
Once your teen is ready to drive, having regular conversations about safety is crucial. It’s also important to practice driving together and lead by example in your own driving habits. These safety habits will help your teen make smart decisions when they get behind the wheel.
Tips to Get Started Safely
Create a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement that puts your rules in writing to clearly set expectations and limits. You can download one here to use as a quick template. Crash risk is highest during the first months that teen drivers have their license, so it’s essential to be overly involved when your teen first begins. Inexperienced and nighttime are probably the biggest factors when it comes to accidents, so practice often and set boundaries with your teen to avoid unsafe results.
Most of all, learn the danger zones listed below and avoid them by discussing what they are with your teen and how to prevent them.
A Few Tips for Parents:
Ride along with your teen for at least 30–50 hours. Teens lack driving experience; therefore, the more they practice, the better.
Limit your teen to zero or one young passenger for at least the first six months he or she has a license.
Require your teen to wear a seat belt on every trip. It is the simplest way to prevent car crash injuries and deaths.
Eight Danger Zones for Teen Drivers
Make sure that you and your teen driver are aware of the leading causes of teen crashes and injuries.
Driver inexperience
Driving with teen passengers
Nighttime driving
Not using seatbelts
Distracted driving
Drowsy driving
Reckless driving
Impaired driving
