Positive teen driver behavior at the heart of reducing car crashes

Driving is the most dangerous activity most of us do. Every. Single. Day. It is no wonder fewer and fewer teens seek to get their driver licenses each year. Even with fewer teen drivers on the road, 1,603 young drivers died in 2019, the latest numbers available. Sadly, the total death toll on our nation's roads in that same year tallied 36,096 deaths.

According to the National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA), in 2019:

• 2,042 were people killed in crashes involving a teen driver;
• 46 percent of teens who died were not wearing a seat belt;
• 24 percent of young drivers (15-20 years old) who died were impaired by alcohol while driving; and
• 258,000 teens were treated in emergency rooms for injuries suffered in a vehicle crash.

These statistics are staggering. While motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States and globally, there is a veil of hope. Since 2009, the data shows a decline in teen driver fatalities.