Prevention

Eight Danger Zones

Make sure you and your young driver are aware of the leading causes of teen crashes:

Driver inexperience Driving with teen passengers Nighttime driving Not using seat belts Distracted driving Drowsy driving Reckless driving Impaired driving

There are proven methods to help teens become safer drivers. Learn what research has shown parents can do to keep teen drivers safe from each of these risks.

Seat Belts Save Lives

At least 46% of teen drivers and passengers who died in passenger vehicle crashes in 2017 were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.2 Research shows that seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about half.18

Primary Enforcement of Seat Belt Laws

States vary in their enforcement of seat belt laws. A primary enforcement seat belt law allows police officers to ticket drivers or passengers for not wearing a seat belt, even if this is the only violation that has occurred. A secondary enforcement seat belt law allows police officers to ticket drivers or passengers for not wearing a seat belt only if they have pulled over the driver for another reason. Some states have secondary enforcement of seat belt laws for adults, but have primary enforcement seat belt laws for young drivers. Seat belt use among all age groups is consistently higher in states with primary enforcement seat belt laws than in states with secondary seat belt enforcement laws.18,19,20 Visit the seat belts pageexternal icon on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s website for up-to-date information on seat belt laws by state, including the type of enforcement and who is covered. 21 Use CDC’s MV PICCS to learn about how many lives could be saved, injuries prevented, and costs averted if your state were to implement a primary enforcement seat belt law.22

Not Drinking & Driving Prevents Crashes

Enforcing minimum legal drinking age laws and zero blood-alcohol tolerance laws for drivers under age 21 is recommended to help prevent drinking and driving among young drivers.23

Graduated Driver Licensing Systems Reduce Fatal Crashes

Driving is a complex skill, one that must be practiced to be learned well. Teenagers’ lack of driving experience, together with risk-taking behavior, heightens their risk for crashes. The need for skill-building and driving supervision for new drivers is the basis for graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems. Although varied, GDL systems exist in all U.S. states and Washington, D.C. GDL systems provide longer practice periods, limit driving under high-risk conditions for newly licensed drivers, and require greater participation from parents as their teens learn to drive. Research suggests that more comprehensive GDL systems are associated with 26%24 to 41%25 reductions in fatal crashes and 16%26 to 22%27 reductions in overall crashes among 16-year-old drivers. Parents can help their teen be safer by knowing and following their state’s GDL laws. Check out the graduated licensing laws by state pageexternal icon on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s website to learn more about your state’s GDL laws.2

CDC’s GDL Planning Guide can assist states in assessing, developing, and implementing actionable plans to strengthen GDL practices.