Car crashes remain the leading cause of preventable deaths for teenagers

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of preventable death for teenagers in the U.S., with more than 2,700 losing their lives in 2023. As National Teen Driver Safety Week approaches (Oct. 19-25), the National Safety Council is providing free resources to help parents, caregivers, driver education instructors and community organizations to keep young drivers safe through the DriveitHOME program, sponsored by General Motors.

"Behind every statistic is a young person with their whole life ahead of them," said Mark Chung, executive vice president of safety leadership and advocacy. "Parents and caregivers have more influence than they realize. The conversations you have today about safe driving habits can protect your teen for years to come. NSC is here to make those conversations easier and more effective."

To help address this safety challenge, NSC offers comprehensive resources available in English and Spanish. These include videos of safe driving techniques, brochures and posters covering critical safety topics, social media kits for sharing life-saving tips and other resources for parents on having conversations with their teens about driving risks.

In 2023, crashes involving young drivers (aged 15-20) resulted in 5,588 deaths, a 4.2% increase from the prior year. These crashes impact people of all ages: young drivers account for only 38% of these fatalities, with passengers, occupants of other vehicles and pedestrians making up the majority. This underscores the urgent need for education and support for new drivers.

Research commissioned by NSC shows that while 82% of parents feel confident in teaching their teen to drive safely, only 55% consider themselves knowledgeable about best practices. The Council's resources help parents turn confidence into competence with proven strategies to keep young drivers safe. For more information and to access free resources, visit nsc.org/NTDSW.

About the National Safety Council
The National Safety Council is America's leading nonprofit safety advocate – and has been for over 110 years. As a mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the workplace and roadways. We create a culture of safety to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the workplace so they can live their fullest lives.

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SOURCE National Safety Council