More Than 50% of Teen Roadway Deaths: Fail to Wear Seatbelts

Buckling up can save lives, but too few of the road’s newest motorists in Texas are wearing seatbelts — and too many teens in the Lone Star State aren’t buckled up when deadly wrecks happen.

That’s according to the latest report from the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), which has also revealed that fatal teen accidents involving no seatbelt use have increased by nearly 13% since 2021.

Here’s a closer look at what may be behind this disturbing trend and how teens and parents can do their part to contribute to safer roads and fewer traffic deaths in Texas.  

Unbuckled Teens & Deadly Accidents in Texas

Motor vehicle accidents have been the number one cause of teen deaths for years, despite safety campaigns, educational efforts, and stepped-up enforcement on the streets.

Notably, wearing a seatbelt is the simplest and most effective step drivers and passengers can take to reduce their risk of serious injury and death in a traffic crash. The table below highlights the degree to which seatbelt use can protect the occupants of different vehicles, according to data from federal authorities.

While these numbers can make a clear-cut case for buckling up, Texas authorities report that 162 teenagers who were not buckled up lost their lives in serious wrecks in 2022. That’s roughly, “three full school buses of young lives lost” or lives may have been saved if a seatbelt had been worn.

Nevertheless, recent teen accident statistics present an unsettling picture of the poor and risky choices that tend to result in roadway tragedy. That includes the findings that:

• Seatbelt use among teens remains low: Teens have the lowest rate of seatbelt use among all age groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That could be why about 51% of the teens killed in Texas wrecks were not buckled up at the time of the crash.
• Teen drivers are prone to risky choices: The top causes of teen motorist crashes are speeding, distracted driving, and drunk driving, according to data from federal authorities. The combination of these high-risk behaviors with not buckling up can exponentially increase the risk of fatal collisions.

How to Promote Teen Driver Safety: Tips for Teens & Parents

Teen drivers and passengers, along with their parents, can take an active role in traffic safety, and that doesn’t require any heavy lifting — just a commitment to stick with the painless steps that follow.

6 Teen Drivers Safety Tips

Teens with permits and new driver’s licenses can use these tips to maximize their safety on Texas roads:

1. Always buckle up: No matter how short the trip, always wear your seatbelt. It’s your best protection in case of an accident.
2. Eliminate distractions: Put your phone away while driving. Focus on the act of driving and what’s going on around you at all times. Distracted driving is a leading and 100% preventable cause of teen accidents.
3. Obey speed limits: Speeding is more likely to happen when teens are driving with teens. Regardless, comply with posted speed limits at all times, taking it slower (at least 5 mph slower) if the roads are slick or there’s limited visibility.
4. Never drive under the influence: Never get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking or using drugs. Crash risks spike with impaired drivers on the roads. Don’t be one of those risky motorists.
5. Limit “high-risk” driving: Driving at night, in adverse weather, in the fog, or when you’re exhausted can all invite risks you don’t need to take on the roads. So, minimize this type of high-risk driving as much as possible.
6. Avoid riding with a carload of teens: As fun as it can be to truck around with teen friends who’ve just received their driver’s licenses, the risk of deadly wrecks increases with each teen in a vehicle (when a teen is also driving). So, don’t agree to taxi around tons of friends, and don’t jump into a vehicle loaded up with teens when another’s behind the wheel.

How Parents Can Contribute to Teen Driver Safety: 6 Tips

If you have a teen driver, here are some steps you can take to help them make safer, smarter choices whenever they get behind the wheel:

1. Lead by example: Show your teen the importance of safety by always wearing your seatbelt, obeying traffic laws, and avoiding distractions.
2. Set clear rules: Establish and enforce rules for your teen’s driving, including curfews, limits on the number of passengers, and a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol and drug use.
3. Regularly talk risks: Have open conversations with your teen about the dangers of driving and the importance of seatbelt use. Share real-life stories or statistics to highlight consequences and make a deeper impact.
4. Use technology: Consider using apps or devices that monitor your teen’s driving habits. Some tools can alert you if your teen is speeding, driving without a seatbelt, or using their phone while driving. Others can lock teens’ phones, so they can’t use them while a vehicle is being operated.
5. Stay involved: Regularly check in with your teen about their driving experiences. Encourage them to share any concerns or challenges they face on the road.
6. Know your rights: As safe as you try to be, others may not make the same choices you do. If that ends up causing traffic crashes that hurt your teen or you, finding out more about your rights can help you take the next steps toward accountability, recovery, and justice.

Navigating the roads as a teen or with teen drivers starts with safe choices — and one of those should be buckling up when it’s time to hit the roads. While that cannot always stop car crashes from happening, it can be a prudent first step in protecting yourself from other careless, reckless, and negligent drivers.