An official website of the United States government.
Here's how you know
The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites always use a .gov or .mil domain. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure you’re on a .gov or .mil site by inspecting your browser's address (or "location") bar.
This site is also protected by an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate that's been signed by the U.S. government. The https:// means all transmitted data is encrypted — in other words, any information or browsing history that you provide is transmitted securely.
Driving has become a rite of passage in American culture. Many teens anxiously await the day when their parents or guardians hand over the car keys. Some parents also look forward to the day when their teen no longer needs daily rides to school or activities. Giving your teen a personal vehicle can make life […]
Traffic crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional youth deaths and injuries across the United States. Development of new and innovative interventions continues, with the aim of addressing this public health issue for the high-risk youth driving population. This report shares results associated with an incentive-based smartphone application (app) developed by the Texas A&M Transportation […]
The overall objective of this project was to create a set of guidelines that can be used to informthe development of risky driving countermeasures that are evidence-based, guided by theory, and lead to sustained behavioral change. Several tasks were completed to achieve this objective including: developing a behavior change inventory; identifying candidate behaviors; identifying characteristics […]
After spending years protecting your children from all sorts of dangers on the road and off, you now face the prospect of handing them the keys to the family car. It’s time for them to learn how to drive. Are you prepared? We can help you mold your teen into a safe and capable driver. […]
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 26, 2021 – The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), in partnership with Ford Motor Company Fund, today released a new report that examines the significant role speeding plays in teen driver fatalities and offers practical tools to help parents rein in this lethal driving habit. The new analysis for GHSA found that from 2015 to […]
The U.S. has a speeding problem. Driving at high rates of speed or too fast for conditions is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to serious and fatal crashes on our nation’s roadways. Over the past five years (2015-2019), speeding has claimed the lives of approximately one-third of all people killed in motor vehicle […]
As the parent of a teen, have you found yourself looking at your child, wondering “Why would you do that?” From mood swings to risk taking, “normal” teenage behavior can be confusing and exasperating. Research reveals that patterns of brain development during these formative years play a significant role in shaping teens’ behavior. In other […]
NHTSA’s Teen Driving site contains information on States’ driver licensing requirements for teens as well as ideas and resources to help you—the parents—lay down the ground rules with your aspiring driver before you hand over the car keys. Here you will find in-depth information on some of the most common safety problems novice teen drivers should avoid. […]
Teen drivers experience higher crash risk than their experienced adult counterparts. Legislative and community outreach methods have attempted to reduce this risk; results have been mixed. The increasing presence of vehicle safety features across the fleet has driven fatality numbers down in the past decades, but the disparity between young drivers and others remains. Read […]
To combat America’s opioid and heroin epidemic, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, launched a joint nationwide education initiative called “Operation Prevention.” Designed for elementary, middle, and high school students, educators and parents nationwide, Operation Prevention is an important effort to educate students about the science […]
