Just over a month ago, I joined the ranks of so many parents who have teens on the roads. Yet, even as I consider how well my son’s driving has developed this past year, I know many driving skills are obtained on the road, through experience. Simply put, driving is a high risk activity, and especially risky for teenage drivers. Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group? Those numbers translate to an alarming statistic that nearly 11 teens die in fatal car crashes every day on U.S. roads. I’m challenged to change these outcomes, both in my role as the Acting Director of the CDC’s Injury Center and, most personally, as a parent to my 16 year old son, Nick.
Selected Category: Motor Vehicle Safety
Three Words I Love to Hear from My 16 Year Old
Categories: Motor Vehicle Safety
October 21st, 2009 12:30 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
Make Safety a Priority on Your School Agenda
Categories: Home & Recreational Safety, Motor Vehicle Safety, Traumatic Brain Injury, Violence Prevention
September 10th, 2009 10:00 am ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
You’ve probably noticed some changes in your communities over the past several weeks: yellow buses are in the mix of morning commuters; significantly fewer children are out and about during the day; store shelves fill with a myriad of school supplies, only to quickly empty again. Yes, once again, school is back in session; and safety is back on the agenda for parents and educators alike.
Understanding Teen Drivers Is Key to Safety
Categories: Motor Vehicle Safety
August 31st, 2009 6:00 pm ET - Louise Galaska, MPA
As parents, we share our children’s pride when they earn their driver’s license. For most of us, though, our overriding emotion as we watch our teens drive away is concern.
Our concern is justified. Statistics show that the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than among any other age group. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens.
Driving Demands Our Full Attention
Categories: Motor Vehicle Safety
February 3rd, 2009 4:10 pm ET - Dr. Ileana Arias
When we drive, we join the community of drivers on the road. We rely on each other to follow laws and pay attention. We trust that everyone on the road with us is a dependable member of our community.
Minimum Legal Drinking Age: What Conversation Should We Have?
Categories: Motor Vehicle Safety
December 19th, 2008 11:00 am ET - Dr. Ileana Arias
Over the past several months, there has been a lot of talk about the minimum legal drinking age (MLDA). Should it remain at 21, or should our country consider lowering the drinking age to 18 years old?
Child Passenger Safety Week
Categories: Motor Vehicle Safety
September 22nd, 2008 3:30 pm ET - Dr. Ileana Arias
Family road trips these days are a far cry from what they used to be. For one thing, in many cars, games of “Slug Bug” and “I Spy” have been replaced with kids whiling away the hours watching movies and playing video games. But a more important development is that kids now are safer then ever when travelling in motor vehicles. A big reason for this is stricter child passenger safety regulations.
Blog Categories
Posts by Month
About this Blog
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
24 Hours/Every Day - cdcinfo@cdc.gov

