Looking back, I think it was my Mom’s screaming that did it.
Perhaps—perhaps!—if she hadn’t shouted, “SLOW DOWN!” as I pulled into the parking spot, I wouldn’t have hit the gas instead of the brake.
And maybe then I wouldn’t have slammed into the light pole.
And then I could have walked into the DMV building, just a few short steps away, and taken my driving test.
Crashing your car outside of the DMV on the day of your test really isn’t the move.
I’m sharing this embarrassing story to say I get it. Being a teen driver can be a lot—especially with screaming passengers. I’m happy to report that it’s been a few years since that incident, and I’m a much better driver now.
I’ve also learned that being a good driver, an engaged driver, is an ongoing commitment.
And right now, if you’re between 15 and 19 years old, we’ve got work to do.
Teen drivers are causing a high percentage of fatal and serious injury car crashes in Idaho. Thankfully, there are a few practical things you can start doing today to help change that.
Let’s talk about:
- The problem
- What you can do about it
- How to talk about it with friends.
The cold hard facts about teen driving in Idaho
Right now, teens in Idaho have a higher-than-normal percentage of fatal car crashes.*
Drivers between ages 15-19 are 2.6 times more likely to be in a crash than other drivers.
Last year, more than one out of every five crashes involved a teen driver.
In Idaho 2023:
- 6,062 crashes involved a teen driver
- 210 teen drivers were in suspected fatal and serious injury crashes
- 40 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver
- 11 teen drivers in fatal crashes were alcohol/drug impaired
- 70% of the fatal crashes involving teen drivers occurred in rural areas
Of the 40 people killed in teen driver crashes, 12 were the teen drivers. Seven were teen passengers. Five were in the 7-14 range. Sixteen were adults.
The number of fatalities involving a teen driver saw an increase of 60% from 2022.
But there’s something you can do about it.
Teen drivers: Here’s what you can do
Our goal with SHIFT is zero road deaths. You can help us achieve this.
Here are three things you can do to help reduce fatalities and crashes on the road:
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Buckle up.
Seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% and the risk of serious injury by 50% (NHTSA). Carrie Wiss, a volunteer EMS in Boise County, has witnessed people survive horrific crashes because they were buckled in. “You’re way more likely to survive a gnarly crash when you buckle up,” she said. So buckle up! (Duh.)
Takeaway: Wearing a seatbelt significantly increases your chances of surviving a crash.
Drive sober.
Driving requires focus. This means only driving when you’re sober. Don’t drive while drunk, high, or even extremely tired. Driving impaired has a direct correlation to causing more fatalities on the road; it was the leading cause of fatalities involving a teen driver in Idaho in 2023.
Takeaway: Always plan a sober ride home, whether that’s a designated driver, Uber/Lyft, or public transportation.
Slow down.
Aggressive driving, such as speeding, failure to yield, following too close, or failing to obey a stop sign, is the leading cause of crashes for teen drivers—including fatal crashes.
These aggressive driving behaviors contributed to 2,736 crashes in Idaho last year, including 13 fatal crashes.
According to NHTSA, speeding is an aggressive behavior when:
- A vehicle’s speed substantially exceeds the prevailing travel speeds of other vehicles
- Includes other unsafe behaviors such as tailgating, weaving, and rapid lane changes
Whether you’re running late or just really hungry—it’s not worth it to put yourselves and others in danger on the road. As Wiss says, “We all want to get where we’re going safely. And sometimes, that just takes a moment to be aware of what you’re doing—to slow down, be safe, and be considerate to others.”
Takeaway: Driving with consideration and awareness of others—other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians—is life-saving.
Focus.
Did you know if you’re traveling at 55mph and look down for 5 seconds, you have traveled the length of a football field?
Five seconds is a friend in the car asking you to look at something, a Snapchat notification, or searching Spotify for the next song. A neighbor once slammed into my parents’ parked car because he was looking down to grab a can of soda.
In 2023, distracted driving was a contributing cause of 957 car crashes—16% of all crashes.
Your new best friend on the road is the “Do Not Disturb” feature. Or, go full send with Airplane mode. The key is to turn off the dings, buzzes, and pings that pull our eyes off the road. Remember: there’s no such thing as being good at distracted driving.
Takeaway: If you’re behind the wheel, make focusing on the road your #1 priority—more important than texts, phone notifications, and other friends in the car stealing your attention.
How to talk to friends about this
So maybe you’re a great driver, but you notice a friend texting while driving, speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, or sometimes drinking and driving.
It can be hard to bring up a complex subject with a friend. Here are a few go-to data points you can bring up to show that it’s not about personal opinion—it’s about the facts.
- Buckle up.
- Seat belts reduce the risk of death by 45% and the risk of serious injury by 50%
- Drive sober.
- There were 11 impaired teen drivers in fatal crashes in Idaho in 2023—a 43% increase from the last five years.
- Impaired driving accounted for 24% of fatalities involving a teen driver in 2023 in Idaho.
- We wrote about how to talk to friends about drinking and driving in a LinkedIn post—read it here.
- Slow down.
- Aggressive driving contributed to 2,736 crashes, including 13 fatal crashes.
- 725 teen driver crashes in Idaho had speeding as a contributing factor.
- Put the phone away.
- Distraction was a contributing cause in 1,007 teen driver crashes—18% of all teen driver crashes.
- If you’re traveling at 55mph and look down for 5 seconds, you have traveled the length of a football field.
Here’s a game that shows how difficult it is to drive when a phone is shoved in your face! Check it out here.
The Ultimate Before-You-Drive Checklist for Engaged Drivers
Get everything done before you hit the gas!
- Buckle your seatbelt.
- Get all those text responses sent.
- Plug in an address to Google Maps/Apple Maps (if needed).
- Queue up the music you want to listen to and set a playlist so you can leave it be.
- Get anything you’ll need for the drive situated—water, snacks, etc.
- Put your phone on Do Not Disturb.
- You’re ready to go!
We believe in you, Idaho teens.
Show the world you might be new to the road, but you know what you’re doing. Thanks for being here, thanks for reading this all the way through, and thanks for being an engaged driver. Like and subscribe ✌️(But for real, like and share with your friends). Together, we can make Idaho roads a safer place.
Are you a parent looking for resources on how to talk to your teens about safe driving? Check out NHTSA’s teen driving resources here.
*Numbers and data pulled from Idaho Transportation Department’s 2023 Analysis.
