New data out this week shows there were approximately 970 crashes involving a teenage driver in the last year across Austin. Of those, more than 50 crashes resulted in serious injuries or death, according to figures from the Austin Transportation Department.
As part of National Teen Driver Safety Week, which runs from October 17 to October 23, the city’s Municipal Court is teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to raise awareness of the dangers while out on the road.
“It’s critically important that parents consistently reinforce driver safety with their teenagers,” said Austin Court Clerk Mary Jane Grubb. “New drivers are less experienced and more susceptible to dangerous situations, putting themselves and others at risk.”
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for young people across the United States, accounting for nearly one-third of all teen deaths each year, according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. The Austin Municipal Court found in the last 18 months, 328 tickets were issued to teenager drivers 16 and under. Over 40% of those were involved in crashes.
The NHTSA says parents can help protect their teen drivers by discussing risky driving behaviors. Self-reported surveys show that teens whose parents set firm rules for driving typically engaged in less risky driving behaviors and were involved in fewer crashes.
