Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens (15-18 years old) in the United States, ahead of all other types of injury, disease, or violence. This week – and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. These conversations should address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: alcohol, inconsistent or no seat belt use, distracted and drowsy driving, speeding, and number of passengers. Parents can be the biggest influencers on teens’ choices behind the wheel if they take the time to talk with their teens about some of the biggest driving risks.
National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 17-23, 2021
Have a special sound in mind? Perfected that new viral dance? Want to save some lives?
The Florida Teen Safe Driving Coalition has partnered with AAA – The Auto Club Group to raise awareness during the Teen Driver Safety Week… The catch? We need YOUR help to save lives! We’re calling on all Florida high school students to send us your best (and most original) TikTok videos to educate and encourage safe driving behaviors among teens!
No Cap. Here’s the Deets You Need to Enter:
- Fill out the official entry form:
- Follow both @FLTeenSafeDriver and @AAA_Florida on TikTok
- Film your best teen driver safety TikTok video (we’ve provided some example videos and content topics below) Be creative and original!! Feel free to submit multiple entries – there’s no limit to the amount of videos you can submit for consideration in the contest.
- Post the video to your personal TikTok Account and be sure to tag @FLTeenSafeDriver and @AAA_Florida
- Email us a copy of your video (filmed on TikTok) by October 30, 2021 at 12:00AM Eastern Time. You must include your signed release containing your parent/guardian’s signature.
TikTok Video Examples
Prizes
The following prizes will be awarded. Prizes for 1st place through 7th place finalists will be awarded to the student entrant. Prizes for 8th place through 13th place will be awarded to the finalist’s school for use in implementing or supporting a traffic safety need or project.
| 1st place (Student Prize) | $550 |
| 2nd place (Student Prize) | $450 |
| 3rd place (Student Prize) | $350 |
| 4th place (Student Prize) | $250 |
| 5th place (Student Prize) | $175 |
| 6th place (Student Prize) | $125 |
| 7th place (Student Prize) | $100 |
| 8th place (School Prize) | $500 |
| 9th place (School Prize) | $500 |
| 10th place (School Prize) | $500 |
| 11th place (School Prize) | $500 |
| 12th place (School Prize) | $500 |
| 13th place (School Prize) | $500 |
Top 3 Teen Driver Issues
Distraction: According to the AAA Foundation for Safety, Distraction plays a role in nearly six out of 10 teen crashes, four times as many as official estimates based on police reports. The top distractions for teens include talking to other passengers in the vehicle and interacting with a smartphone.
Not Buckling Up: In research published in 2015, 60 percent of teen drivers killed in a crash were not wearing a safety belt. Teens who buckle up significantly reduce their risk of dying or being seriously injured in a crash. And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of the 22,215 passenger vehicle occupants killed in 2019, 47% were not wearing seat belts.
Speeding: Speeding is a factor in nearly 30 percent of fatal crashes involving teen drivers. A previous AAA survey of driving instructors found that speeding is one of the top three mistakes teens make when learning to drive.
Download our Safe Driving Social Media Kit
We’ve assembled 6 social media graphics and some supporting content for you to post during Teen Driver Safety Week. Use the button below to download the Safe Driving Social Media Kit… Be sure to use the hashtag #FLTeenSafeDriver and #TDSW2021
Morning Announcement Bulletins...
Using your school’s morning announcements are a quick and easy way to educate students on the importance of safe driving. We’ve assembled a few bullets for you to use as we observe Teen Driver Safety Week in Florida. Click each title to get the correct answer!
In Florida, it’s illegal to have a phone in your hands while traveling through these two zones…
Answer: Work Zones and School Zones
True or False?: When Riding a bicycle in Florida, you must wear a helmet if you’re under the age of 18.
Answer: True. Florida law requires that all riders 18 years of age or younger wear a helmet when riding a bike. Protect your head!
True or False?: Newly licensed teen drivers have nighttime driving restrictions (curfew) at age 16 and 17.
Answer: True. 16 year-old’s are only legally allowed to drive between 6AM-11PM. 17 year-old’s are only legally allowed to drive between 5AM-1AM.
Aside from cell phones, what is the number one distraction for a teen drivers?
Answer: Other teen passengers. Two additional teen passengers increase the risk of crash by 158%.
True or False?: You are allowed to have headphones in your ear when riding a bicycle, moped, or scooter or driving a car.
Answer: False, Florida law does not allow the use of headphones while driving or operating a bicycle, moped, or scooter.
Teen Traffic Safety Projects...
Use these traffic safety project “recipe cards” to implement a traffic safety awareness campaign at your high school, community, or youth club. Any initiative you take to increase awareness on the benefits of safe driving is a great effort!
Door Decorating
The sky’s the limit on this fun and creative way to engage your peers on traffic safety. Your main goal for this project will be promoting a door-decorating contest that gets students at your school to decorated doors of as many classrooms as possible to educate students on a traffic safety subject.
Quit Forking Around – Put It Down
Forking a lawn can be quite an amusing activity. What’s better than merely forking a lawn, you ask? Forking a lawn in an effort to raise awareness and save lives! This project uses forks and a highly trafficked area at your school or community center to raise awareness on distracted driving.
Grasping at Straws to Save Lives
This activity involves handing out straws to your fellow students or community members in an effort to raise awareness on the importance of safe driving. The goal of this activity is to start an “awareness chain reaction” – each straw will ask the recipient to “pass it on” to someone they love.
An Essential Guide for Newer Drivers
Young drivers need a lot of time and practice to develop safe, defensive driving skills as well as confidence behind the wheel. This safety training program from State Farm is designed to help newer drivers learn and practice safe driving habits.
Module 1: Getting Ready to Drive
State Farm is here to help you hit the road quickly. But first, let’s go over a few car basics.
Lesson 1: Car Basics
Video 1: Car Parts and Safety Features
Video 2: Car Maintenance
Lesson 2: Making Adjustments
Video 1: Adjusting the Driver’s Seat
Video 2: Adjusting the Steering Wheel
Video 3: Adjusting the Mirrors
Video 4: Adjusting the Seat Belts
Module 2: Focus and Distraction
Learn about the most common distractions and how to prevent them.
Lesson 1: Managing Distractions
Video 1: What is distracted driving?
Lesson 2: Impaired Driving
Video 1: Don’t Drink and Drive
Video 2: Drowsy Driving
Lesson 3: Scanning for Hazards
Video 1: Watch for Hazards
Video 2: Proper Scanning
Module 3: Residential and City Roads
While you can’t control others’ actions, you can manage your own reactions.
Lesson 1: Sharing the Road
Video 1: Communicating with Other Drivers
Video 2: Anticipate the Behavior of Other Drivers
Lesson 2: Starting, Stopping and Backing Up
Video 1: Starts and Stops
Lesson 3: Entering and Exiting Parking Lots
Video 1: Entering and Exiting Parking Lots
Lesson 4: Navigating Intersections
Video 1: Residential Intersections
Video 2: Busy Intersections
Module 4: Highway Driving
Merging onto a busy interstate is one of the more stressful lessons we learn.
Lesson 1: Entering and Exiting Highways
Video 1: Successful Highway Merging
Lesson 2: Managing Speed and Distance
Video 1: Speed Management
Video 2: Create a Space Cushion on All Four Sides
Lesson 3: Maintaining Lane Position
Video 1: Maintaining Lane Position
Lesson 4: Changing Lanes and Managing Blind Spots
Video 1: Changing Lanes
Video 2: Blind Spots
Module 5: Special Driving Situations
Let’s take a look at some special circumstances and safer ways to drive in them.
Lesson 1: Driving at Night
Video 1: Driving at Night
Lesson 2: Driving in Bad Weather
Video 1: Driving in Bad Weather
Lesson 3: Driving in Rural Areas
Video 1: Driving in Rural Areas
Lesson 4: Handling Emergencies
Video 1: Emergency Vehicles and Car Trouble
Video 2: Handling Emergencies
Modules Complete: Next Steps
1. Log each of your trips in the Trip Log
2. Complete the Post-Assessment (optional)
3. Sign the Statement of Qualification
4. Turn in the Trip Log and Statement of Qualification to your agent
Download the SADD Teen Driver Safety Week Mobilization Kit
Florida SADD is dedicated to educating students, parents, and others in the community concerning the problems of distracted driving, underage drinking, impaired driving, seatbelt usage, driver training, speeding, and red light running. FL SADD emphasizes traffic safety because traffic crashes are the # 1 cause of death for teenagers in America.
Get ready to MOBILIZE your community during National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 17-23! 
SADD National has designed a free guide to help amplify your teen traffic safety efforts in your schools & communities. Download the free guide below!
AAA Teen Driver Resource Center
Find specific teen driver information you need quickly. Or learn in more detail.
Dreaming about driving? Are you taking driver ed now? Or maybe you already have your license? Learning to drive is an exciting process for you and your parents, and AAA has tools and information to help. Check out the links below to get a “quick start” finding some of the top things you’ll want as you prepare to become a safe, successful driver.
Experience the Ford Driving Skills for Life Academy
Learn how to be a safer driver from the comfort of your own home! The Ford Driving Skills for Life Academy is designed to provide you additional training that will help keep you safe on the road.
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