Teens reminded how to drive safely this week

We are in the middle of National Teen Driver Safety Week, an effort the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched on October 14 to educate parents and teenagers about young driver injuries and deaths on our roads.

NHTSA’s website dedicated to teen driving says that the leading cause, or 35 percent, of adolescent deaths (those between ages 15 and 20) are due to motor vehicle crashes. The agency’s research shows that inexperience and driving too fast are the main culprits for teens, with a supporting role played by drinking and driving, not wearing seat belts and cell phone use while driving.

According to the traffic agency, the key components to increase teens’ safety in the car are wearing seat belts, not drinking and driving, having clear rules from their parents, and participating in state graduated licensing programs.

Watch the video PSA above from the Department of Transportation. I’d encourage you to post it with your social networks (here’s the link for sharing: http://youtu.be/zao1uEMXKwI).

Discussion

Are you a parent or an older sibling of a new driver? How do you set the example for your teenage driver? What are the most important ground rules that you have set for them to follow?

Other resources on this topic:

I also found an interesting animated video from the Century Council that uses humor (and reality) to highlight typical teenage driver’s attitude. You can watch it at the top of this post or click here to view.

LA Times writer Jerry Hirsch lays out NHTSA’s tips for teen drivers in Traffic safety officials offer guidelines for safe teen driving

Ford, Jordin Sparks and the Jonas brothers team up for teen safe driving in this video.