Family Traffic Safety Contract
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Teen Drivers
In 2023, 105 teens (ages 15 - 19) were killed in crashes on North Carolina roads.
Teen drivers are more likely to get into serious crashes because they lack experience behind the wheel. But with guided practice, clear driving rules, and safety features in cars, that risk can be lowered.
5 to Drive
Many of the deadly crashes that involve teenagers are linked to things like driving too fast, distractions, drinking alcohol, and/or unbuckled passengers. Follow these 5 rules to keep your teen driver safe.
Buckle Up
In 2023, 41% of teens (ages 15 -19) that died in car crashes on North Carolina roads were not wearing a seat belt (Source: NCDOT Crash Facts).
Only Drive Sober
In 2022, 30% of young drivers (15 – 20 years old) who were killed in crashes had alcohol in their system (Source: NHTSA).
One Passenger Limit
Teen drivers’ crash risk goes up with each additional passenger. Limit the amount of people in the car to keep your teen safe.
Eyes on the Road, Hands on the Wheel
Set up driving mode on your phone and make a plan for communicating in emergency situations. For more tips on staying focused, see the Distracted Driving page.
Follow the Speed Limit
In 2023, speed was involved in 36% of teen fatalities on North Carolina roads (Source: NCDOT Crash Facts).
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Practice, Practice, Practice
Inexperience is a leading cause of teen driver crashes. Prepare your teen driver by practicing on a variety of roads, routes, and conditions, including rain, night driving, rural roads, highways, neighborhoods, etc.
As you ride with your teen driver, follow these tips:
Share your personal experience
Stories are a great way to teach your teen proactive driving skills. Rather than telling them what to do or pointing out everything they are doing wrong, try sharing tips on how you avoid or respond to tricky situations. Use “I” statements to explain what you’ve learned over the years. For example:
- “When I’m driving, I don’t just watch the car in front of me. I look for brake lights from the three or four cars in front of me. If they start braking, I slow down early, even before the car in front of me brakes. This gives me plenty of time to react in case the driver in front of me isn’t paying attention and slams on their brakes.”
- “If I see a driver swerving in the lane or changing speeds dramatically, I’ll give them extra space and stay away from them in case they are driving distracted or under the influence.”
- “If I need to pass a semi-truck, I wait behind them until there is plenty of space to fully pass them. I never drive right next to a semi-truck because they have so many blind spots and you never want to be in a situation where your car could go under the truck bed. I wait, then pass quickly, staying in their clear line of sight.”
Ask questions as you practice
Help your teen driver anticipate risky situations and predict what others drivers might do by asking open ended questions as you ride together. For example:
Why do you think it’s safer to change lanes to pass a person riding a bicycle on the road?
Discussion: A typical lane is not wide enough for a car to pass a cyclist without potentially hitting them. It is easier (and lawful) to change lanes to pass.
How do you think sunrise or sunset might affect driving?
Discussion: Drivers who are traveling toward a rising or setting sun may have a harder time seeing things on the road. During this time of day, never assume that a driver can see you.
Why do you think you should leave extra space between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you?
Discussion: The distance between your vehicle and the next vehicle is how much space you have to stop if something happens unexpectedly. More space = more time to react before a crash. If the driver in front of you isn’t paying attention and slams on their brakes unexpectedly, would you be able to stop before you hit them?
Why do you think it’s safer to change lanes to pass a person riding a bicycle on the road?
Discussion: A typical lane is not wide enough for a car to pass a cyclist without potentially hitting them. It is easier (and lawful) to change lanes to pass.
How can you tell if someone is waiting to cross the street?
Discussion: People may need to cross the street in places where there isn’t a pedestrian crossing signal or crosswalk. If you’re in an area with lots of people walking around (shopping center, bus stop, downtown, etc.), you should always slow down and be prepared to stop for pedestrians. If you see someone standing by the edge of a crosswalk, come to a complete stop, make eye contact, and give them a clear signal (a wave, for example) that it is clear to cross. It helps to constantly look for people while you are driving. You are more likely to see someone if you are looking for them.
Teens should drive the safest car you can afford
Vehicle safety technology can help your teen driver avoid a crash or protect them in the case of an incident.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) provides recommendations for safe vehicles for teens within a variety of budgets, including new and used cars. Browse their guidelines here.
Teen Driver Contract
Download, fill out, and discuss this free contract with guidelines to keep your teen driver safe on the road.
Drivers Ed
Anyone under the age of 18 who wants a North Carolina Drivers License must complete a driver’s education course. Drivers ed includes classroom and driving instruction.
Graduated Drivers Licensing
After completing Drivers Ed, your teen driver must complete the NC Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program, which includes a learner permit period.
The GDL Program Saves Lives
- The learner permit period is a critical time to practice in a variety of driving situations, road types, and in all types of weather.
- After the GDL was enacted in 1997, 16-year-old driver fatal and serious injury crashes declined by 47% (Source: NCTeenDriver.org).
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