Teen Driver Deaths Are Rising Again: How Parents and Teens Can Reverse the Trend

Teen driving deaths are surging nationwide, and the latest data reveals urgent lessons and life-saving steps for families with teenagers ready to drive for the first time.

New findings from Zutobi’s 2025 Teen Driver Report show the risks remain alarmingly high. After years of steady decline, 2023 (the latest data available) saw a jump in fatal crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 20. The statistics show:

• 3,262 lives were lost in 2023, up 5.8% from 2022, and an eye-opening 31.4% higher than pre-pandemic numbers.
• Fatalities among young drivers and their passengers have reversed previous progress, reaching levels not seen since the early 2010s.
• Half of teen drivers killed in 2023 were unbuckled at the time of the crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. And when the driver was unbelted, 90% of passengers killed were too.

Kentucky leads the nation with a staggering 114.25 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers, followed by Mississippi, Tennessee, Arizona, and Arkansas. California’s teen driver death rate is 22.55 per 100,000, placing it midway among states, but the raw number of deaths remains among the highest.

So, what’s driving the increase, and how can we make our teens safer behind the wheel? The top risk factors, according to the report, are:

• Impairment: In 2023, 687 teen drivers died in DUI-related crashes, an 8.7% increase from the year before, even though drinking under 21 is illegal everywhere.
• Speeding: Speed was a factor in at least 1,984 teen driving deaths last year, up 8.7%. Fast driving, peer pressure, and inexperience are a dangerous mix.
• Distraction: 348 teens died in distraction-related crashes, a 17.6% one-year increase as phones, friends, and multitasking tempt kids behind the wheel.
• Seat Belts: Teens still have the lowest seat belt use of any age group. Not buckling up remains a tragic common thread in most fatal collisions.

It isn’t ignorance of the rules keeping crash rates high, safety experts say. The Zutobi report points to inexperience and risk-taking as the main causes, risks that technology and parent involvement can reduce. Here are some tips for teen drivers: 

• Always buckle up; every ride, every seat, every time.
• Zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs. Never drive impaired or get in a car with someone who is.
• Put away the phone. Use silencing apps, and set navigation before driving.
• Obey speed limits: Speeding is a major killer; slow down, especially at night and in bad weather.
• Limit nighttime driving and passengers: Crash risk soars after dark and with more friends in the car; follow restrictions and keep trips short while you gain experience.

As for parents, here are some points to keep in mind:

• Model safe driving. Always buckle up, drive sober, and put your phone down. Kids are watching.
• Set clear, consistent rules. Enforce family driving contracts or use parent-teen driving agreements (like Zutobi’s Parent-Teen Guide).
• Limit risky driving. Restrict nighttime, highway, and peer-heavy driving during the first year after licensure.
• Make use of technology. Consider apps and in-car tools that monitor speed, phone use, and driving habits, providing feedback to both you and your teen.
• Practice, practice, practice: Supervise many hours of driving in a wide range of conditions, and talk through risk scenarios.

The future of teen driver safety lies in creating an ecosystem where technology enhances learning, parents are empowered partners, and students are genuinely engaged in their own safety education, said Zutobi’s team and safety leader Lucas Waldenback. New apps and interactive programs simulate hazards, use real accident scenarios, and allow both parents and teens to objectively track progress and skills within a safe environment.

If you’re a teen getting behind the wheel, or a parent helping your child reach this milestone, start with clear communication and a shared commitment. By using modern driver ed, holding each other accountable, and making safety, not just passing the test, your top focus, you can help reverse the deadly trend and save lives.

Chain | Cohn | Clark stands with families working for safer roads and offers support to anyone harmed by teen driver crashes or looking for resources after a serious collision.

“If there was ever a time to talk about safe driving, it’s now,” said Matt Clark, managing partner and attorney at Chain | Cohn | Clark. “Every trip is a chance to build good habits or gamble with a future. We owe our teens and our communities a smarter, safer road ahead.”

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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident at the fault of someone else, or injured on the job no matter whose fault it is, contact the attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or fill out a free consultation form, text, or chat with us at chainlaw.com.