NARRATOR: As a parent, it's only natural
to want to do all you can to protect your child.
And when it's time to hand over the car keys,
you may wonder how you can help your teen steer clear of danger.
The truth is, when it comes to keeping teen drivers safe,
parents are the key.
Becoming a licensed driver
is an exciting step in a teenager's life.
But with the reward and privilege comes real risk.
GREENSPAN: Car crashes are the number-one killer of teens
in the United States.
In fact, car crashes kill more teens
than infectious disease and chronic disease combined.
NARRATOR: The good news is it's scientifically proven
parents can help decrease these frightening odds.
As a parent, it's up to you
to set a good example behind the wheel
and talk early and often about safe driving with your teen,
even before it's time to hand over the keys.
It's also up to you to be a coach and instructor.
Even the best-behaved kids lack driving experience,
which is what makes their crash risk so high.
This experience can only come with practice,
and a minimum of 30 to 50 hours of supervised practice is ideal.
SIMONS-MORTON: Practice driving should include
lots of daytime driving, night driving,
driving under a variety of road conditions
and under a variety of weather conditions.
NARRATOR: As you show your teen driver the ropes,
make sure you decide on and enforce
your rules of the road.
Set rules about where and when your teen can drive
and who they can drive with.
As you do, keep in mind that certain situations
make crashes much more likely for young drivers.
McCARTT: There are danger zones for teen drivers
that parents should know about and make sure their teens avoid.
One danger zone is night driving.
The crash risk for teen drivers is twice as high at night
as it is during the day.
NARRATOR: Limit your teen's nighttime driving
and make rules about driving with teen passengers.
MAN: So we want to make sure
that you understand the rules we've set for you
in terms of being able to drive the car.
NARRATOR: Also, make buckling up a must.
Wearing a seat belt can reduce your teen's risk
of being badly injured in a crash by half.
Everyone, parents included, should make it a rule
not to talk on the phone or text behind the wheel.
Put all your rules in writing
with a parent/teen safe-driving agreement.
Talk it through
and decide what you'll do if your rules aren't followed.
It can be comforting to know that your state's on your side.
Most states have teen-driving laws,
often called graduated driver licensing, or GDL.
Get to know and follow your state's laws.
Their main purpose is protecting young drivers' safety.
Remember, your teen's watching and listening to you.
Talk about and model safe driving.
Supervise practice driving.
Set and enforce your rules of the road.
And get to know your state's teen-driving laws.
GREENSPAN: As a mother who has raised two teenage drivers,
I know how hard it is
to set down the rules and follow them.
But as a scientist,
I know that setting the rules and enforcing rules of the road
is what you need to do
to keep your teen safe at the wheel.
NARRATOR: There's a lot to learn and do.
That's why CDC has developed the Parents Are the Key campaign
for parents like you.
At the website, you'll find a variety of tools and resources
to help you keep your teen driver safe.
And you'll learn how to spread the word with others
to create a whole community of safer teen drivers.
You can hand over the keys with confidence.