Parents Key to Keeping Teens Safe Behind the Wheel, Union City PD says

UNION CITY, CA — The Union City Police Department is recognizing National Teen Driver Safety Week by encouraging teens and their parents talk about the importance of always following the rules of the road and driving responsibly, a news release issued by the agency said.

"Car crashes remain the leading cause of death for teens ages 15 to 18 years old in the United States," the news release said adding that according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2021, an estimated 94,201 teen passengers were injured in car crashes.

According to NHTSA, an estimated 170,083 people were injured in crashes involving a teen driver, accounting for almost 7 percent of all roadway injuries that year.

Union City Sgt. Steven Fong said that parents are the "first and most influential" driving instructors for their teens.

“During National Teen Driver Safety Week, we want to remind parents that they are key to keeping their teens safe behind the wheel," Fong said. "By actively engaging in conversations about safe driving and setting a positive example, parents can make a significant impact on their teenager's driving behavior."

To kick off the conversation, Union City Police are offering the following tips to parents and guardians for initiating discussions about safe driving with teens:

• Provisional Driver’s License : Learn about California’s provisional licensing law, which places restrictions on passengers and driving at night during the first year they have a license.
• Lead by example: Have driving sessions with your teen. Tell, but also show your teen how to drive safely.
• Set ground rules: Be firm on rules such as no phone use, eliminating distractions by friends, always following the speed limit, and always buckling up.
• Sober driving: Emphasize the importance of never driving under the influence or riding with someone who has been drinking.

Funding for the program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the news release said.