The Safe America Foundation and State Farm announce Ready2Drive a landmark tri-state initiative to train insurance agents to become community teen driving safety specialists and speakers in their local schools, clubs and neighborhood events.

Crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. Almost 4,500 teens ages 16 to 19 die as a result of crashes and nearly 400,000 sustain injuries requiring treatment.  Sadly, while young people ages 15-24 represent only 14% of the U.S. population, they account for as much as 30% of the total cost of motor vehicle injuries in this country.  Read more: Safe America Foundation & State Farm Great Lakes Zone

What Parents of Teenagers Can Do

Don’t rely solely on driver education. High school driver education may be the most convenient way to learn skills, but it doesn’t necessarily produce safer drivers. Poor skills aren’t always to blame. Teen attitudes and decision-making matter more. Young people naturally tend to rebel. Teens often think they’re immune to harm, so they don’t use safety belts as much and they deliberately seek thrills like speeding. Training and education don’t change these tendencies. Peer influence is great but parents have much more influence than they are typically given credit for.

Know the law. Become familiar with restrictions on beginning drivers. Enforce the rules. To learn about the law in your State, go to www.iihs.org/safety_facts/state_laws.

Restrict night driving. Most young drivers’ nighttime fatal crashes occur from 9 p.m. to midnight, so teens shouldn’t drive much later than 9. The problem isn’t just that such driving requires more skill. Late outings tend to be recreational, and even teens who usually follow the rules can be easily distracted or encouraged to take risks.

Read more: Safe America Foundation & State Farm Great Lakes Zone