Two teens stand together holding a sign promoting seat belt use, with text stating most teen drivers wear their seat belt, from a 2024 Texas safety report.

YTS Report Reinforces the Positive for National Teen Driver Safety Week

National Teen Driver Safety Week, scheduled for Oct. 20–26, 2024, is an initiative dedicated to educating parents and teen drivers about the dangers of distracted driving and other critical risk factors. Vehicle crashes are one of the leading causes of death for youth under 25 in Texas and the U.S., and young drivers have a higher crash rate than older, more experienced drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The goal of this week is to raise awareness of the challenges teens face behind the wheel, but also highlight the positive behaviors of our youngest road users.   

Two smartphones display driving analytics apps, showing a driving score, stats, charts, and a map route, against a green and blue gradient circle background.

Revolutionizing Data Collection in Road Safety Research: The You in the Driver Seat App

Since its launch in October 2020, the You in the Driver Seat (YDS) app has revolutionized data collection efforts in combating distracted driving among young drivers. Developed by Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s (TTI’s) Youth Transportation Safety (YTS) program — which seeks to save lives and prevent injury among youth through education, empowerment, and peer-led outreach — the YDS app promotes safe, distraction-free driving to individuals aged 16 – 25.