DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News) — The number of teenage driving deaths is on the decline both statewide and nationally, according to a study done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Chris Pilsic is with State Farm and adds that there has been a growing trend across the country where parents are becoming more active in their teenagers’ driver education, which he said is one of many reasons leading to fewer teenage deaths behind the wheel.
“It’s down about 43 percent across the country. Here in Texas, it’s down about 27 percent,” Pilsic said. “There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but it’s a very positive trend in the right direction.”
Those percentages, according to Pilsic, means the number of teens dying behind the wheel has gone down by thousands.
Pilsic said another reason for the decline is an increase in distracted driving laws across the country, including Texas.
“There’s been a real hard push on education and awareness,” Pilsic said. “Parents are being more involved in their teenagers’ driving habits behind the wheel. Many different industries have been involved in educating teenagers about the dangers of distracted driving.”
But even with the decline, Pilsic said the number of deaths, and particularly the distractions that often lead to them, can still come down even more.
“It’s taking pictures and recording video, posting to social media, using videos to talk to friends, parents and relatives behind the wheel, and why they’re doing it” he said. “It’s those new trends that are emerging that are equally or more distracting and just as disturbing.”
