Teens in the Driver Seat is a decade-old program in Texas. It was established to help get teens involved in their own auto accident prevention. During the past 10 years, these young adults have campaigned for safety in order to prevent tragedies.
According to the official website, risk awareness among teens has risen as kids are educated about the dangers of the roadways. And with this increased awareness comes an increase in safety.
Car crashes involving teenage drivers cost our nation more than $40 billion every year; the annual cost in Texas is more than $3.5 billion.
Teens in the Driver Seat® program assessments show risk awareness levels increasing by up to 200 percent. Cell phone use at some Teens in the Driver Seat® program schools has been shown to drop by 30 percent, and seat belt use has gone up by over 14 percent.
In Texas, the number of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes has dropped 40 percent and is the only state where fatal crashes involving teen drivers has decreased every year since Teens in the Driver Seat® began. By comparison, fatal crashes involving drivers 20 years of age and older has only dropped 14 percent in Texas.
The city of Garland, Texas experienced 12 teen traffic fatalities in the four years before launching a Teens in the Driver Seat® program; the same city has seen only one teen traffic death in the four years since launching Teens in the Driver Seat®. Before Teens in the Driver Seat®, teen involvement in all crashes was 28 percent; after Teens in the Driver Seat®, teen involvement in crashes dropped to 16 percent.
The program is free and is offered to high schools in the state. There are several different resources on the Teens in the Driver Seat website as well.
About Kevin Krist, Accident Lawyer
As a Houston-area accident attorney, I’ve seen many Texas auto accidents involving teens, and there is nothing more tragic than a young life forever damaged or cut short. If you or your teen was involved in a serious accident, I may be able to help you recover compensation for the injuries or loss.
Contact my offices today to discuss the accident and the legal options available to you. I can be reached at 281-677-3958.
