Teen Driving Resources
Teenage drivers are three times more likely to be in a fatal car crash than other drivers. Those odds increase during the summer months when school is out and more teens are on the road. The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day, known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, are nationally recognized as the most dangerous time for drivers, especially teens. But the good news is that studies show parents can cut their teen driver’s crash risk in half by establishing driving rules and monitoring them in a supportive way.
Teens face the greatest risk of crashing during the first year of their license. In fact, one out of every five licensed 16-year-olds will be in a motor vehicle crash. To help mitigate this risk, all states have Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws specifically tailored to young drivers. These laws gradually introduce new drivers to more complex driving situations, providing them with the time and experience they need to stay safe on the road.
Teens + Parents can work together to be safe and minimize risk by creating a Teen Driving Contract together and understanding the laws when it comes to teen drivers. When we work together, everybody will be a little bit safer!
Teen Driver Tips + Guidelines
Teen Driving Safety Facts + Figures
Sometimes stats and figures can be scary, but we figure that knowledge is power. The Conahan’s team works really hard to ensure that you have as much knowledge and training as you can to keep you safe on the road, but the one thing we can’t do is prevent distractions every time you start the car. That’s up to you!
- Teens face the greatest risk of crashing during the first year of their license. One out of every five licensed 16-year-olds will be in a motor vehicle crash.
- Teen driver fatalities have dropped 70% in the past year, as of April 2025.
- In 2024, Colorado State Troopers investigated more than 3,000 property damage crashes where the at-fault driver was between 16 and 21 years of age. Of these same property damage crashes, the top causal factor was driving distracted (541 crashes).
- In 2023, 2,611 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver (15-18 years old).
- In 2023, 53% of teen passenger vehicle drivers who died were unbuckled.
- Teens between the ages of 16 to 19 are at the highest risk for motor vehicle crashes compared to any other age group. In fact, their fatal crash rate is nearly three times higher than drivers aged 20 and older, based on miles driven. In 2021, drivers aged 20 and younger made up just 5.1% of licensed drivers in the U.S., yet they accounted for 8.5% of all drivers in fatal crashes and 12.6% of all crashes.
- Since the passage of GDL laws, fatal crashes involving drivers aged 16 to 17 have declined by nearly 50% over the past 20 years. However, seat belt use remains a critical issue among teen drivers. In 2019, 45% of teen drivers who died in crashes were unbuckled. When the teen driver was unbuckled, nine out of 10 passengers who died were also not wearing their seat belts.
Colorado’s Seat Belt Laws
- Colorado law requires the driver and every front-seat passenger of a motor vehicle and the driver and every passenger in an autocycle equipped with a safety belt system to wear a seat belt whenever the vehicle is in operation on a street or highway.
- Adults — Colorado has a secondary enforcement law for adult drivers and front-seat passengers. Drivers can be ticketed for violating the seat belt law if they are stopped for another traffic violation.
- Teens — Colorado’s Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) law requires all drivers under 18 and their passengers, regardless of their age, to wear seat belts. This is a primary enforcement, meaning teens can be pulled over simply for not wearing a seat belt or having passengers without seat belts.
- Children — Colorado’s Child Passenger Safety law is a primary enforcement, meaning the driver can be stopped and ticketed if an officer sees an unrestrained or improperly restrained child under the age of 18 in the vehicle.
Colorado’s Graduated Driver Licensing Laws
Colorado’s GDL laws are designed to help keep drivers under 18 years old safe by limiting distractions and high-risk driving situations while they gain experience. These laws include:
- No passengers under the age of 21 for the first six months after getting your license, and no more than one passenger under 21 during the second six months (siblings and medical emergencies are exempt).
- No cellphone use while driving. Visit codot.gov/handsfreeco for more information on Colorado’s hands-free driving law.
- Drivers and all passengers under 18 must wear a seat belt.
- No driving between midnight and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by an instructor, parent or legal guardian.
- Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Always carry proof of auto insurance.
- Breaking any driving laws, including GDL restrictions, can put you at risk of losing your license or being involved in a car crash.