SPOKANE — Safety habits formed before a teen gets behind the wheel can protect them and everyone else on the road, according to local first responders and national safety organizations recognizing National Teen Driver Safety Week.
Traffic crashes remain one of the leading causes of death for teenagers ages 15 to 18. The National Road Safety Foundation reports that more than 2,300 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2024.
Spokane County Fire District 4 emphasized that conversations about safe driving should start early. Rather than waiting until a teen gets their license, parents should talk about safe driving expectations before that milestone and continue those discussions once their teenager is on the road.
“What’s at stake is honestly people’s lives,” said Raj Srinivasan, vice president of FCCLA, a national student leadership and advocacy group partnering with the National Road Safety Foundation for the awareness campaign. “Not only who is in the car but also everyone around you. You have to watch out for pedestrians, people in other cars, and pretty much anything.”
Srinivasan wanted to get involved with this campaign after witnessing reckless driving near his high school. “Just hearing that, I couldn’t believe that someone was injured in school, a place where they should be safe. As I started driving, I started seeing this reckless behavior in not only teenagers but also adults.”
Inexperience is a major contributing factor in teen crashes, stated the NRSF. The organization said young drivers are more likely than experienced drivers to miss or underestimate dangerous situations on the road. This is where parental involvement becomes essential.
Local agencies recommend that parents also connect with families of their teen’s friends to ensure expectations around driving are clear and consistent across peer groups.
The foundational safety reminders for young drivers include keeping an eye on speed, being patient while driving, leaving early to avoid rushing, and maintaining at least a three-second following distance between vehicles.
Teens often mirror the driving behavior they observe from their parents. That is why NRSF urges adults to lead by example every time they get behind the wheel. That means putting phones away, buckling up, following the speed limit, and making safe choices on every drive.
For more information and helpful safety tips for both teen and adult drivers, download the Passport to Safe Driving.
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