In the United States, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens 16-19 years of age. In 2017, more than 2,300 teens (ages 16-19) lost their lives in car crashes. That’s six teens every day.
The leading causes of teen crashes and injuries include the following:
Driver inexperience
Driving with teen passengers
Nighttime driving
Not using seat belts
Distracted driving
Drowsy driving
Reckless driving
Impaired driving
To learn more about teen engagement in risky driving behaviors, such as alcohol-impaired driving, drug-impaired driving, and distracted driving, read CDC’s recent publication about alcohol and marijuana use among young injured drivers in Arizona and CDC’s 2018 publication about texting/emailing while driving among high school students.
Discuss your rules of the road with your teen, why they are important to follow, and consequences for breaking them. Create a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement that puts these rules in writing to set clear expectations and limits.
Read the CDC’s Feature about keeping teens safe on the road, or visit CDC’s website on Teen Drivers.
Comments