National Teen Driver Safety Week is an annual observance in the United States dedicated to raising awareness about the risks teen drivers face and encouraging safe driving habits among teenagers. National Teen Driver Safety Week will be observed from October 18-24, 2026.
Why It Matters:
Car crashes are a leading cause of death for teens in Nebraska. Inexperience, distractions (like texting or passengers), speeding, impairment and not using seat belts are major risk factors. On average, there are 8,000 teen related crashes in Nebraska each year.
🔑 Key Safety Tips for Teen Drivers:
- Always Buckle Up – No exceptions.
- No Phone Use – Avoid texting or calling while driving.
- Obey Speed Limits – Speeding is a major factor in teen crashes.
- Limit Passengers – More passengers increase the risk of a crash.
- Avoid Driving at Night – Especially for new drivers, night driving is riskier.
- Never Drive Impaired – This includes alcohol, drugs, or fatigue.
👨👩👧👦 Tips for Parents:
- Set clear rules via a parent-teen driving agreement and learn about current driving restriction laws.
- Lead by example – Model good driving behavior.
- Practice together – Supervised driving builds confidence and experience.
- Enroll your teen in a driver’s education course- Teens that take drivers education are less likely to get in a crash and have a traffic violation.
📣 How to Get Involved:
- Schools can host safety events or guest speakers, become active in the Teens in the Driver Seat program and/or work with local partners such as health departments.
- Share safety messages on social media using hashtags like #TeenDriverSafetyWeek.
- Partner with local law enforcement or safety organizations.
- Utilize NHTSA Traffic Safety Marketing media resources.
⭐Resources
- Teens in the Driver Seat
- Graduated Driver Licensing Information
- Nebraska Community Collective: Free media resources: Under “Looking for more?”
