LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky ranks among the highest states for teen driving deaths, highlighting concerns as National Teen Driver Safety Week emphasizes safer roads.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S., and teens are three times more likely than adults to be in a fatal crash per mile driven. In Kentucky, 41 young drivers died in crashes in 2023, with a 138% involvement rate in fatal crashes, the highest in the nation.
“This is a statistic that can change,” said a Lexington driving instructor.
National Teen Driver Safety Week encourages parents to discuss safe driving with their teens. Driving instructors say high crash rates often stem from inexperience and immaturity, especially when teens drive with peers. “A teen is two and a half times more likely to engage in risky behavior with one peer in the car. Each additional peer increases fatality risk significantly,” said Amber Wedding, owner of Central Kentucky Driving School.
Jim Peters, a certified instructor with APEX Driving School, emphasized basic safety measures like seat belt use, following speed limits, and sober driving as foundational to preventing crashes.
Kentucky recently lowered the minimum driving age to 15, increasing the need for thorough training. Peters noted, “The responsibility of what I do every day became more and more intense.”
Both instructors stressed that driving is a privilege, not a right, and parents must evaluate whether their teen is ready for the responsibility. Wedding added, “Being a good driver isn’t just staying off your phone; it requires a whole lot more. Changing our driving culture starts with raising teens to understand every detail of safe driving.”
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