Immaturity and inexperience―these traits combine to raise the crash risk when teenagers are behind the wheel. Young drivers tend to misjudge their own driving skills while at the same time, underestimating the dangers on the road.
The result? Vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death among teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). AAA is taking the opportunity during National Teen Driver Safety Week (October 20-26) to remind parents to stay engaged and help novice drivers be better prepared for the roadway.
“Too often, parents think it doesn’t matter if they talk to their teen about traffic safety because they think their child isn’t listening. In reality, parents can be one of the strongest influences when it comes to good driving behaviors and the rules of the road,” said Morgan Dean, public affairs manager, AAA Mid-Atlantic. “AAA urges parents to actively engage in teaching their teens safe driving habits. In addition, parents should model good driving behaviors themselves.”
Teen Driving Can Be a Threat to Safety of All
It isn’t only the teen driver who is injured or loses their life due to a young driver’s inexperience and immaturity. Passengers, other drivers and other road users are also at risk when teens are behind the wheel.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 2,514 people lost their lives in crashes involving a teen driver in 2022.
In Virginia, there were 23,409 crashes involving teen drivers in 2023, resulting in 111 fatalities, according to DMV crash data. Nearly 12,000 people were injured. In 2022, there were 22,564 crashes with 117 fatalities and 11,250 injuries.
Understanding Risk Factors for Teen Drivers
Understanding the most prevalent factors behind vehicle crashes involving teen drivers can help parents better prepare their teens as they become licensed and begin driving on their own. The most common characteristics of teens’ fatal crashes and the risk factors involved include:
- Driver error. Compared with adults’ fatal crashes, those of teens more often involve driver error. This comes from a lack of experience coupled with over-confidence in their new driving skills.
- Driving with passengers. Teen drivers’ crash risks multiply when they have teen passengers. According to IIHS, just over half of teen passenger deaths occur in crashes with teen drivers. While the presence of passengers decreases the risk among drivers ages 30 and older, passengers increase the crash risk for teen drivers.
- Driving at night. Night driving is more dangerous because of limited visibility, fatigue and impaired drivers on the road. According to IIHS, the fatal crash rate among drivers ages 16 to 19 is about four times as high at night as during the day. Compared to drivers ages 30 to 39, teen drivers are nearly three times as likely to be involved in a fatal crash at night. Limit the time your novice driver spends behind the wheel after dark, while still following the required number of supervised practice hours of night driving for those still working on obtaining a license.
- Not wearing a seat belt. Wearing a seat belt greatly reduces the risk of being hurt or killed in a crash regardless of age. Model safe driving behavior by making a rule for the entire household: everyone buckles up, every trip, every time.
- Speeding. Excessive speed is a factor in just over a quarter of fatal crashes involving teen drivers. Many fatal crashes involve only the teen’s vehicle. Typically these are high-speed crashes in which the teenage driver loses control. Teens need to follow posted speed limits and parents should set a good example themselves. Also, talk to teen drivers about the dangers of driving too fast for conditions.
- Distracted driving. We know that teen passengers are the biggest distraction to teen drivers, but cell phones come in second. Many teens admit to interacting with their phone and in-car infotainment systems while behind the wheel despite clear dangers. Make a family rule covering these and other distractions that everyone abides by.
- Drowsy driving. Teens have a hard time getting enough sleep and often struggle with drowsiness. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving and teens have the highest risk. Ensure everyone has gotten enough sleep before they get behind the wheel.
- Impaired driving. Driving impaired from alcohol and other drugs puts everyone at risk. Parents should enforce strict zero tolerance rules with their teen and be a good role model themselves. Zero tolerance should include never riding with someone who is impaired as well as not getting behind the wheel impaired.
Teaching Safe Driving Habits to New Drivers
Parents should familiarize themselves with Virginia’s graduated driver’s license restrictions. .Graduated licensing processes for new drivers exist in all 50 states, though details differ.
The learner’s permit process in Virginia along with new driver restrictions on number of passengers, hours and cell phone usage are meant to help young driver’s stay safe while learning how to safely navigate the roadways.
AAA urges parents to stay actively engaged as their teen driver goes from permit phase to full, unrestricted license. Supervised driving―with parents in the passenger seat as the coach―is the first step to teaching teens how to become responsible and safe drivers. AAA has these recommendations for supervised practice driving:
- Require teens to log at least 100 hours of supervised practice driving with a parent before driving solo. This provides additional practice beyond the minimum required hours necessary for getting a license in Virginia.
- Begin by practicing in low-risk situations and gradually move to situations that are more complex: highways, nighttime, driving in the rain, and on and around challenging roadways (e.g., curves).
- Use slightly different routes each practice session.
- Practice adjusting speed based on three factors: visibility, on-road traffic and varying road conditions.
“Strong coaching and diversity in practice driving sessions are key when teens have their driving permit. Once teens have their license, consistent parental involvement remains essential,” Dean said. “Remind your novice driver frequently about the risks of bad driving behaviors, including speeding, red-light running, distracted driving and driving impaired.”
AAA also offers additional resources for parents that can be accessed through the AAA Teen Driver Safety website, including tips for coaching teens through the learning-to-drive process and Smart Start Parent Course, a one-hour live action DVD and illustrated in-car handbook that parents can use to support supervised driving lessons.
