Koon's watch

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States.

National Teen Driver Safety Week is coming up later this month.

I’m taking the next 2 editions of Koon’s Watch to share information with you about how you can protect your teen drivers and how we can all work together to follow the same rules and make our roadways safer.

Parents should make sure teens know the rules of the road, and be prepared to enforce them, before teens have the keys in-hand. By working together to keep the conversation top-of-mind, we can reduce the risk of teen driver incidents on the road.

Here are the first three rules of the road we should all share with the teenagers in our life:

• Don’t Drive Impaired.

Teens are too young to legally buy, possess, or consume alcohol, but they are still at risk. Remind your teen that driving under the influence of any impairing substance - including illicit, prescription, or over-the-counter drugs

- could have deadly

consequences.

• Buckle Up — Every trip, every time,

in the front seat and

back. Wearing a seat

belt is one of the simplest ways for teens to stay safe in a vehicle, and it is required in all 50 states. Remind your teen that it’s important to buckle up, including in taxis and ride-sharing services.

• Eyes on the road, hands on the wheel. Distractions while driving are more than just risky—they can have deadly consequences. Remind your teen about the dangers of texting or using the phone while driving. I’ll share 3 more rules of the road with you next week. Until then, please remember family conversations about safe driving behaviors can make a huge difference.