April 1 - 7, 2018 is California Teen Driver Safety Week
According to recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), crashes are still the leading cause of teen deaths. In 2016, there were 1,908 young drivers aged 15 to 20 years old killed in motor vehicle crashes in the United States. In California that year, there were 473 young driver fatalities.
In recognition of the need to raise awareness about the greatest risks to teen drivers and the important rules of the road they need to follow to stay safe, the California Office of Traffic Safety and the California Department of Motor Vehicles will work alongside other traffic safety partners and agencies to promote teen driver safety during April 1-7, 2018.
Risks for teen drivers include:
- Drunk driving and drugs
- Speeding
- Distracted driving
- Drowsy driving
- Not wearing seat belts
To learn more about teen driving, risk factors and what you can do about them, visit NHTSA's Teen Driving site. For the latest data on teen driving, download the 2016 Young Drivers Traffic Safety Fact Sheet.