The campaign will feature informational videos, released in conjunction with Teen Driver Safety Week, teach drivers how to change a tire, check vehicle fluids, and more.
In Pennsylvania from 2021 to 2025, there were 79,625 crashes involving at least one 16- to 19-year-old driver, resulting in 486 fatalities.
Harrisburg, PA – Today, to mark Teen Driver Safety Week, the Pennsylvania Departments of Transportation (PennDOT), Education (PDE), Insurance (PID), and the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) visited Red Land High School to highlight the importance of teaching teen driver safety and launch a new social media campaign featuring tips on vehicle maintenance and safety behind the wheel to prepare young drivers – and all drivers – to safely navigate different scenarios they may face before leaving home and while on the road.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among teenagers. In Pennsylvania from 2021 to 2025, there were 79,625 crashes involving at least one 16- to 19-year-old driver, resulting in 486 fatalities. 62 percent of those crashes involved a teen driver driving too fast for conditions (22,635 crashes), improper/careless turning (14,477), driver distraction (10,188), or driver inexperience (7,064).
“Driving is an exciting milestone in a young person’s life, and also a huge responsibility,” said PennDOT Executive Deputy Secretary Larry Shifflet. “Parents and teachers can help set a good example by making safe driving choices themselves, and we’re hopeful that these how-to videos will be a helpful resource to teens and their families.”
The campaign will feature informational videos on how to change a flat tire, check vehicle fluids and tire pressure, what to do if you’re stopped by law enforcement, as well as Paul Miller’s Law, Pennsylvania’s distracted driving law, which bans the use of handheld devices while driving.
In collaboration with the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP), the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) will release the new social media content each day of Teen Driver Safety Week on its X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts.
“Safe driving habits do not begin when a teenager gets their permit; they begin years before, by observing the driving habits of those they are around most,” said Lieutenant Colonel George L. Bivens, Acting Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “Teen drivers are constantly learning from what they see us do behind the wheel. Parents and guardians have an important opportunity to be a positive influence by following the rules of the road, staying focused, and making responsible decisions every time they drive.”
Further reinforcing safe driving habits among teen drivers, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, PDE, and PennDOT teamed up to launch a statewide training program in 2024 to improve the safety of new drivers and protect roadway workers. Pennsylvania's New Driver Work Zone Safety Program is an online training that uses engaging videos, and powerful testimonials to educate new drivers on work zone laws, signage, and key facts, while also presenting real-life scenarios to enhance understanding.
“It takes years of practice to perfect the highly complex skills required to safely operate a vehicle with confidence,” said Department of Education Executive Deputy Secretary Angela Fitterer. “Driver education training programs help teach novice drivers, especially teenagers, critical skills they need to successfully and safely navigate our roads.”
Parents of teen drivers play a key part in helping their children become safe and responsible drivers. They should consider the following recommendations:
- Have regular conversations with your teen about safe driving skills, even before they get their learner’s permit.
- Take advantage of resources for the parents of teen drivers, like the Parent’s Supervised Driving Program guide, available for free on the PennDOT website.
- Encourage teen drivers to avoid distractions behind the wheel, such as talking or texting on their cell phone.
- Limit the number of passengers teen drivers may have in their vehicle. By law, drivers under 18 may not carry more than one passenger under 18 who is not an immediate family member unless one parent or guardian is in the vehicle. After the first six months of incident-free driving on a junior license, the limit is increased to no more than three passengers under the age of 18 who are not immediate family members unless one parent or guardian is in the vehicle.
- Limit dawn, dusk, and nighttime driving until the teen driver gains more experience and enforce a curfew. Remember, state law prohibits 16- and 17-year-olds with a junior license from driving between 11:00 PM and 5:00 AM.
- Gradually increase the amount of time and distance teen drivers are allowed to drive.
- Enforce observance of speed limits and other rules of the road.
- Ride with teen drivers occasionally after they receive their license to monitor driving skills.
- Set a good example with responsible driving habits.
Additionally, according to PID, teens who take driver’s education classes and maintain good grades qualify for discounted insurance rates. Teens who focus on making good decisions behind the wheel, like always wearing a seatbelt, eliminating distractions, and putting phones away while driving, tend to avoid accidents and driving violations – important keys to keeping rates low.
“Auto insurance provides important financial protection for students and their families, and rates for young drivers are usually higher because new, inexperienced drivers have a higher likelihood of filing insurance claims,” said Pennsylvania Deputy Insurance Commissioner Dave Buono. “However, as new drivers gain experience, they develop a stronger understanding of how practicing safe driving can lower their insurance rates and also ensure their safety and safety of others on the road.”
For more information on teen driver safety, visit PennDOT’s website.
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Drivers can check conditions on major roadways by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,200 traffic cameras. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Leanne Trindel or Craig Yetter, PennDOT, ltrindel@pa.gov or cryetter@pa.gov
Sgt. Logan Brouse, PSP, ra-pspcomm@pa.gov
Erin James, PDE, erinjames@pa.gov
Adrian Sipes, PID, adsipes@pa.gov
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