According to the North Dakota Department of Transportation, it’s never too early or too often to talk about safe driving habits with your teens — and there’s no better time than during National Teen Driver Safety Week going on now.
The Department of Transportation is encouraging parents to talk to their teen drivers about the importance of always wearing a seat belt and being responsible behind the wheel.
In 2020, drivers between the ages of 14 and 19were involved in nearly 9.5 percent of fatal crashes in North Dakota.
The department says inexperience, coupled with immaturity, can often result in risk-taking behaviors like speeding, alcohol and drug use, driving distracted and not wearing a seat belt — all of which contribute to an increased death rate among teens.
And, wearing a seat belt is the most effective way to prevent death and injury in a crash.
Surveys show that teens with parents who set and enforce driving rules typically engage in less risky driving behaviors and are involved in fewer crashes.