Video: Teach Teens Safe Driving Habits!

With so many temptations, like texting and talking to a friend while driving, car accidents still remain the primary cause of death for adolescents. In fact, young drivers (ages 16 to 19) are involved in fatal collisions at four times the rate of adult drivers (ages 25 to 69). And each year, more than 5,000 teenagers are killed in motor vehicle crashes.

In order to prevent these tragedies, Congress has designated a time each year to raise awareness of driver safety topics and to encourage safe driver and passenger behavior. This year's theme (October 16 - 22) is supporting parents in teaching their teens to drive. It includes spending time practicing with them as well as keeping a close eye on them as they begin driving alone. According to research, those who say their parents set rules and monitor their driving in a helpful and supportive way are half as likely to crash and twice as likely to buckle up as teens with less involved parents.

In 2010, Safe Kids USA and the General Motors Foundation launched a program called Countdown2Drive which focuses on building a foundation with teen pre-drivers to prepare them to be safe passengers today, responsible drivers tomorrow.  This is an easy, web-based program that helps parents and teen pre-drivers (ages 13-14) to negotiate on a "Passenger Agreement" which will contain an agreement on behaviors. Education and preparation will help these young drivers to be safe when he or she can actually drive legally.