This National Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 15-21, the City of Austin is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to empower parents to discuss safe driving habits with their young drivers.
Across the United States, motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old). In 2022 alone, 431 drivers in fatal crashes in Texas were under the age of 20, with the youngest driver behind the wheel reported as 10 years old, based on data collected by the Texas Department of Transportation. Locally, 23% of the Austinites killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes in 2023 were under 25, according to Austin Vision Zero.
“National Teen Driver Safety Week is important because Austin is a rapidly growing city, and driver safety is important for everyone, especially new teen drivers. We want to help them develop safe driving habits for themselves and those sharing the road," said Cheryl Strangeman, Senior Case Manager for Austin Municipal Court.
Austin Municipal Court invites the public to attend a teen driver safety class instructed by a juvenile case manager on Thursday, October 19, 6:30-7:30 pm at the main court located at 6800 Burleson Rd. Building 310, Suite. 175 Austin, TX 78744. This class is an evidence-based teen driver safety program created by Impact Teen Drivers that uses real-life stories to show the effects of reckless and distracted driving on teens, their families, and their communities. Information about how teens can obtain their driver license is included in the program. The class is free, and dinner will be provided. Both teens and parents are welcome to attend, and registration is required.
For more information on the October 19 teen driver safety program, other free classes or guidance on teen driver licenses, please contact the Austin Municipal Court Youth Services at youth@austintexas.gov or 512-974-4659.
For more information about National Teen Driver Safety Week and to learn more safe driving tips for teens, please visit the NHTSA Teen Driver site or the Texas Department of Public Safety site. |
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