#TZDTuesday: Teen Driver Safety Week

October 22, 2024

It’s National Teen Driver Safety Week! It serves as a reminder for parents and guardians to talk to their teens about safe driving habits. Teens are at great risk on the road due to factors such as inexperience, risk-taking behind the wheel, speeding and distracted driving.

Parents and caregivers play a vital role in developing safe teen drivers. When learning to drive, teens need to know the Rules of the Road and gain experience in a variety of road types and environments. The teaching shouldn’t stop when they get their license to drive. The greatest crash risk occurs during the first months of independent driving. Laws regulating cell phone use and the number of passengers allowed to ride with a teen driver have helped reduce teen traffic deaths and injuries. Parents and caregivers can talk with their teens about dangerous and deadly driving behaviors with these tips on how to influence positive behaviors.

Start the conversation and set the rules before they hit the road with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Five Rules to Drive.

• No cell phones.
• No extra passengers.
• No speeding.
• No alcohol.
• Always buckle up!

The bottom line is that we have more influence on teen drivers than we may think. Be a role model, get involved in their driving habits from the beginning – and stay involved! Together, we can drive Minnesota toward zero deaths.