News
Adults Hold the Keys To Teen Safety Behind the Wheel
10.18.24
Teens may be the ones behind the wheel, but adults hold the keys when it comes to keeping young drivers safe.
National Teen Driver Safety Week kicks off on October 20 and runs through October 26, and the Visalia Police Department encourages parents and caregivers to talk with their teens about following the rules of the road and how safe driving can help save lives.
"Visalia PD reminds parents and caregivers to discuss the dangers of risky driving behaviors like speeding, texting while driving, or not wearing a seatbelt," shared Liz Jones, Public Safety Police & Fire PIO. "Teens should also understand the serious dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs."
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 2,514 people killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2022.
In California, young drivers were involved in nearly 12% of all fatal crashes in 2022 despite accounting for only 5% of all licensed drivers in the U.S.
Visalia PD offers the following tips to parents and guardians for starting conversations about safe driving with
teens:
- Provisional Driver’s License: Learn about California’s provisional licensing law, which places restrictions on passengers and driving at night during the first year they have a license.
- Lead by example: Have driving sessions with your teen. Tell, but also show, your teen how to drive safely.
- Set ground rules: Be firm on rules such as no phone use, eliminating distractions by friends, always following the speed limit, and always buckling up. Create a parent-teen driving contract to outline specific driving guidelines.
- Sober driving: Emphasize the importance of never driving impaired or riding with someone who has been driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.