Teens' biggest safety threat is getting behind the wheel; parental involvement is key to keeping young drivers safe on the roads.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Car crashes continue to be the No. 1 cause of preventable death for teens in the U.S., with more than 2,700 losing their lives in 2021. To curb this trend and keep young drivers safe on U.S. roadways, the National Safety Council DriveitHOME program, in partnership with Honda, is providing resources to parents, caregivers and other stakeholders to help them participate in National Teen Driver Safety Week, observed this year Sunday, Oct. 15, through Saturday, Oct. 21.
These resources include posters and videos which cover crucial teen driver safety issues and offer tips to help parents and caregivers get involved to protect their new drivers. According to the latest data available, the number of teens who died in a preventable traffic crash increased for a second consecutive year in 2021, marking an 11.2% rise from 2020, thus making the need for raised awareness and available resources more important than ever.
“Too many teens are dying on the roads, and as a parent myself, these deaths are terribly heartbreaking, because they truly are preventable,” said Mark Chung, executive vice president of roadway practice at NSC and parent of three. “Fortunately, as parents, there is something we can do, and that’s being involved. The most significant contribution parents and caregivers can make to teens' safety is active involvement in their driving journey, and that doesn’t – and can’t – end when your teen gets a license. Teen drivers who continue to practice with their parents and caregivers reduce their chances of being involved in a crash, and NSC is here to help parents and caregivers do just that, and more.”
As National Teen Driver Safety Week approaches, the National Safety Council invites all parents, caregivers, driver education instructors and organizations across the nation to learn more about how they can help equip teen drivers with the skills, knowledge and support they need to navigate the challenges of the road safely.
For more information about National Teen Driver Safety Week and to access free resources, please visit nsc.org/NTDSW.
About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for nearly 110 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace, roadway and impairment. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.
With a century-long legacy, the National Safety Council is a global center for safety expertise. Let's work together to align resources. We look forward to learning about ways we can join efforts to expand safety everywhere!
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