Teen Transportation Safety

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Notes from the Backpack Podcast

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Teen Transportation Safety

Uber Teen Accounts

Uber and National PTA are teaming up to promote youth safety and to help inform families about teen accounts on Uber. If parents want to allow their teens (age 13-17) to use Uber for rides or ordering food, then it's important to understand how to use teen accounts that provide for parental supervision and key safety features. Uber and National PTA's collaboration can help families use teen accounts appropriately, and have a positive experience when using Uber to get going. Learn more.

Using Uber Teen Accounts for Parents
Using Uber Teen Accounts for Teens

Teen Transportation Safety


Teen Drivers

Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in America, with teens involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers. This is caused by inexperience and immaturity, combined with: 

  • Speed
  • Drinking and driving and drug use
  • Not wearing seat belts
  • Distracted driving (e.g., cell phone use, loud music, other teen passengers)
  • Drowsy driving
  • Driving at night


What You Can Do

A Liberty Mutual Insurance survey showed that 69% of parents of teen drivers practice at least two dangerous or distracting behaviors while driving. You can help reduce the dangers of distracted driving—especially texting while driving—by setting a good example of safe driving.

  • Discuss texting with your kids. Look at your phone bill to understand how often your kids text. Bring up the dangers of texting while driving with your teens.
  • When you know your teen might be driving, don’t call. When you do call, ask your teen if he or she is driving. If the answer is yes, ask your teen to pull over and call you back.


Learn More

  • Countdown2Drive (Safe Kids Worldwide). Resources to help families build passenger agreements and set a tone of mutual respect as younger teens approach driving age.
  • Distraction.gov (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration): Educates Americans about the dangers of distracted driving.
  • Teen Safety (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Provides parents, caregivers, teachers, and safety advocates with the tools to help teen drivers get a safe start on the road.