HARTFORD, CT (October 20, 2020) - The number of people on Connecticut’s roadways being killed in crashes involving teen drivers is the same this year – even slightly higher – than in years past, despite teen drivers being involved in far fewer crashes overall, given several months of little to no traffic on our roadways.

This, according to an analysis by AAA of UConn Crash Data for the previous five years and the preliminary crash data this year, which indicates that there were, on average, through mid-October, almost 9500 crashes a year involving teen drivers, as compared to this year when there have been just over 5700 crashes involving teen drivers over the same time period. And yet, the number of fatal crashes (20) involving a teen driver is slightly higher than the average number of fatalities involving teen drivers in the past five years (thru Oct. 16).

“We know that, in general, there has been a sharp increase in speeding this year. Add to that the inexperience of teen drivers and it is no surprise that these numbers tell a tragic story,” says Amy Parmenter, spokesperson for AAA in Greater Hartford.

With that in mind, AAA is reminding parents to take every opportunity to talk to their teens about the risks of the roadway and suggesting that, this week being National Teen Driver Safety Week, now would be just the right time to initiate those conversations.

Teen Crash Data (in CT) as of 10/16:

• 20 people have been killed this year in crashes involving a teen driver
• In most cases, those killed in the crashes were not the teen drivers
• About 5700 crashes this year involving a teen driver as compared to an average of 9450 in the previous five years (thru 10/16).

“It is important to note that more often than not, when a teen driver is involved in a fatal crash, he or she is not usually the victim. This is an issue that impacts everyone on our roadways,” Parmenter adds.

AAA Offers Teen Safe Driving Tips for Parents

• Talk with teens early and often about abstaining from dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.
• Teach by example, and minimize distractions and other risky behavior when driving.
• Establish a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.
• Conduct at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving with their teen.

To support parents in conducting practice driving sessions during COVID-19 and beyond, AAA is providing a free four-page guide to help parents coach their teens on how to drive safely. 

The “Coaching Your New Driver – An In-Car Guide for Parents” AAA ParentCoachingGuide 2020 offers behind-the-wheel lesson plans, including a variety of “DOs and DON’Ts” to make the learning experience as helpful as possible.  For parents, the guide can be beneficial as they coach their teens on a variety of routes, building on their formal behind-the-wheel training.

TeenDriving.AAA.com has a variety of tools to help prepare parents and teens for the dangerous summer driving season. The online AAA StartSmart Parent Session also offers excellent resources for parents on how to become effective in-car coaches as well as advice on how to manage their teen’s overall driving privileges. Teens preparing for the responsibility of driving should enroll in a driver education program that teaches how to avoid driver distraction and other safety skills.