Parents Are Key to Keeping Teens Safe Behind the Wheel!
South Pasadena (Calif.) – National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 20-26.
During this week, the South Pasadena 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.
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.
The South Pasadena Police Department reminds parents and caregivers to
discuss the dangers of risky driving behaviors like speeding, texting while driving, or not
wearing a seatbelt. Teens should also understand the serious dangers of driving under
the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“Parents and caregivers play a huge part in keeping teens safe on the road,”
South Pasadena Police Department Lieutenant Shannon Robledo said. “Having these
meaningful conversations, setting rules, and being a role model for safe driving can help
teens make better choices when they’re driving.”
The South Pasadena Police Department 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
