Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens
The single most important step you can take to protect the life of your teen is to be actively involved in the learning-to-drive experience. Understanding the risks and knowing the facts will prepare both you and your teen for the road ahead.
Everyone Is At Risk
Click the tabs to find out more
Between 2013 and 2017, 1,932 drivers ages 15-17 years old were killed in crashes involving teen drivers.
Nearly two-thirds of people killed in a crash involving a teen driver are people other than the teen behind the wheel
Brain Development
Click on the red dots to learn more about brain development
Physical Changes
Physical changes, such as the reduction in gray matter, in the teen brain reflect experience and environment. Making mistakes is partly how the brain optimally grows. Teens are more likely to develop safe driving habits if parents regularly discuss and model appropriate behavior.
Emotion
As the teen brain develops, differences in decision-making and judgment may occur in situations that are emotionally exciting or have high social impact. Teens take more risks behind the wheel in the presence of friends as compared to driving alone or with a responsible adult.
Impulse control
A teen’s brain is only about 80 percent developed. Regions responsible for suppressing impulses and weighing the consequences of actions are still under construction. Even among seemingly responsible teens, underage drinking is highly likely to result in drunken driving.
Judgement
The brain develops back to front. The last section to connect is the frontal lobe, which is responsible for reasoning, planning and judgment. Because the area that helps teens assess risks is still developing, speeding to beat a red light or texting while driving may not register as highly dangerous actions.
YOUNG PASSENGERS
One of the most dangerous sources of distraction for teen drivers, whether due to horseplay, loud music, rowdy behavior or peer pressure, is teen passengers. Fifteen percent of teen driver crashes happen when the driver is interacting with other young passengers in the vehicle.
CELL PHONE USE
On average, 12 percent of teen driver crashes involved cell phone use in the moments leading up to the incident. Those same teens also failed to react more than half of the time before a rear-end collision.
Other Distractions
Anything that takes your attention away from the demanding task of driving can increase your crash risk, including grooming, eating, or even reaching for items inside the vehicle.
Safety Features to Look For When Choosing a Car for Your Teen
Scroll through the icons to see different safety features and click on the red pulsing dots for additional information
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL
Uses automatic braking of individual wheels to aid the vehicle during extreme steering maneuvers.
Automatic Crash Notification Systems
Detects deployed airbags, crash force and if the vehicle rolled over
Anti-lock Braking System
Helps drivers retain the ability to steer while simultaneously braking hard
AIRBAGS
In conjunction with seat belt use, airbags help protect occupants from severe injuries in a collision.
Backup Camera System
Rear cameras help drivers avoid objects while traveling in reverse.
Lane Departure Warning System
Helps drivers remain in their lane, and not drift into adjacent lanes.
Forward Collision Avoidance/Warning Systems
Warns the driver of a potential collision situation.
Parking Assist
Detects if a parking space is large enough or if something is too close to the vehicle.
Blind Spot Monitoring & Detection
Alerts the driver when a vehicle is in a blind spot.
AAA’s Tips for Parental Involvement
According to research, teens value the opinions of their parents most of all (even if it doesn’t always seem like it).
Check each box for more details.
