The Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA) this week released a new report that shows an 11% increase in traffic deaths among teens aged 16 and 17 nationwide. The increase is for the first 6 months of 2011, and compared with the first six months of 2010.
Teen deaths in car crashes are on the rise here in Pennsylvania, and our state had more teen deaths in the first six months of 2011 than every other state except Texas, North Carolina, Florida and Illinois. We tied the numbers for Missouri, while the other 44 states all had fewer teen deaths in car crashes than Pennsylvania. You can read the full report here.
The rise in teen deaths should be a reminder to parents that getting a driver’s license is only the beginning. The first year alone behind the wheel is the most dangerous time in a teen’s life, and parents should be actively continuing to train their teens in safe, defensive driving techniques throughout this period.
Does your teen need a refresher? Try the National Safety Council®’s Alive At 25 classroom program.
