The Most Common Risks Facing Teen Drivers in Tennessee and Kentucky

Fall brings homecoming season, which means football games, dances, parties, and more time on the road for teenagers across Tennessee and Kentucky. For parents of new drivers, it’s also an important time to talk about the risks teens can encounter behind the wheel.

State and national crash data show how significant those risks can be. In the U.S., traffic accidents are a leading cause of death for teenagers aged 15 to 18. In 2024 alone, crashes involving teen drivers claimed 2,320 lives nationwide. Teen drivers accounted for 752 (32%+) of those deaths, and nearly 86,000 were injured in collisions that year.

As families prepare for the season and National Teen Driver Safety Week in October, understanding the factors that contribute to crashes involving teens can help parents and young drivers make safer choices.

What Does the Teen Driving Data Show in Tennessee and Kentucky?

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s most recent study of teen driver accidents examined crashes involving drivers aged 14 to 18 over a five-year period.

The report found:

• An average of roughly 20,500 crashes involving at least one teen driver each year
• An average of about 81 fatal crashes involving teen drivers annually
• An average of roughly 440 suspected serious injury crashes involving teen drivers each year
• Nearly 70% of teen driver crashes involved two vehicles

More than 97% of teen drivers involved in collisions during the study period were between the ages of 16 and 18.

Kentucky’s 2024 Traffic Collision Facts report provides a more recent snapshot of drivers aged 16 to 19.

In 2024:

• 17,326 teen drivers were involved in collisions
• 2,800 teen drivers were involved in injury collisions
• 62 people were killed in collisions involving teen drivers, including 19 teen drivers
• 264 teen drivers were involved in alcohol-related collisions

Since Tennessee and Kentucky use different age ranges for teen drivers, these figures aren’t directly comparable. However, data from both states show that thousands of young drivers are involved in crashes each year, including collisions resulting in serious and fatal injuries.

What Are the Biggest Risks Facing Teen Drivers?

Driving experience develops over time, and teenagers may encounter situations behind the wheel they are unfamiliar with, and have not learned how to handle. Factors such as distractions, speeding, passengers, and impaired driving can create additional risks for inexperienced motorists.

Parents and teenagers should pay particular attention to several common driving risks.

1. Driver Inexperience

Learning how to operate a vehicle is only one part of becoming a safe driver. New drivers must also learn how to anticipate other motorists’ actions, judge gaps in traffic, respond to unexpected hazards, and make quick decisions.

Tennessee’s teen driver study illustrates the role these skills can play. Some of the most frequently reported actions among teens who were involved in crashes included failing to yield the right of way, following too closely, and failing to stay in the proper lane. Operator inexperience was also identified in thousands of crashes during the five-year study period.

Parents can help teens gain experience by practicing in different traffic, road, and weather conditions and discussing how to respond to potential hazards.

2. Distracted Driving

Phones and technology are an obvious source of distraction for teenagers, but they aren’t the only ones. Changing music, eating, looking for directions, talking with passengers, and other activities can all take a driver’s attention away from the road.

Tennessee recorded distracted driving as a factor in over 6,600 teen driver crashes during the five-year study period. Kentucky’s analysis does not list teen-specific contributing factors, but it did report 4,479 collisions due to distraction in 2024 alone, with an additional 925 coming from cell phone usage.

Tennessee and Kentucky both have passed laws in the past decade to deter drivers from cell phone usage and distracted driving. 

Back in 2024, the Eddie Conrad Act was passed in Tennessee, which is specific to drivers under the age of 18, and imposes harsher penalties for distracted driving. Tennessee also has a Hands-Free Law, to deter individuals from using or looking at their cellphone while operating a vehicle.

In Kentucky, House Bill 415 bans texting for drivers of all ages while operating a vehicle. 

Teens should put their phones away before starting the vehicle and set music and navigation in advance. If something needs their attention during the trip, they should find a safe place to stop rather than attempting to handle it while driving.

3. Speeding and Unsafe Driving

Speed is also a contributing factor to roadway collisions, and can reduce the amount of time a driver has to react when traffic suddenly slows, another vehicle enters the roadway, or conditions change.

Tennessee’s teen driver study identified speeding in more than 4,000 crashes during the five-year study period. Erratic driving and reckless or negligent driving were also among the actions recorded in these auto accidents.

Parents should remind young drivers that getting somewhere a few minutes earlier is never worth taking unnecessary risks. Teens should follow posted speed limits and reduce their speed when traffic, weather, or road conditions warrant it.

4. Riding With Teen Passengers

Driving with friends can create additional distractions for a young, inexperienced driver. Conversations, music, and activity inside the vehicle can compete for a teen driver’s attention at a time when they are still developing their skills behind the wheel.

Studies show that teen drivers are 2.5 times more likely to engage in potentially risky behavior when driving with a teenage peer than when driving alone.

Families should establish clear expectations regarding passengers and ensure that teens understand and follow any restrictions that apply to their driver’s license. This can be especially important before social events, when groups of teens may be traveling together.

5. Alcohol and Drug-Impaired Driving

Teenagers should understand that driving after drinking alcohol or using impairing substances is never acceptable. They should also know not to get into a vehicle with someone who has been drinking or using drugs.

Kentucky reported that 264 teen drivers were involved in alcohol-related collisions in 2024, including eight that were fatal. Fourteen people were killed in alcohol-related accidents involving teenage drivers that year.

Parents can establish a plan before teens attend parties, dances, and other social events. Teens should know who they can call if they need a safe ride home and should never feel that driving impaired or riding with a drunk driver is their only option.

6. Failing to Wear a Seat Belt

Seat belts cannot prevent a crash, but they can reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries when one occurs. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the majority of teen drivers killed in fatal crashes weren’t wearing their seat belts.

Parents should remind teens that buckling up is essential on every trip, regardless of how short the drive may be. They should also encourage young drivers to make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled before getting on the road.

How Can Parents Help Teens Become Safer Drivers?

Educating your teen on all of the risks listed above is the best way to help them be safe, and homecoming is a good opportunity to talk with teens about safe driving and set clear expectations before they head out. These conversations can also help reinforce safer habits throughout the year.

Parents can:

• Discuss the night’s plans. Know where your child expects to go, who will be driving, and approximately when they plan to return.
• Set passenger expectations. Make sure your teen understands household rules and any state restrictions concerning young passengers.
• Discuss distracted driving. Encourage teens to put their phones away and set navigation before leaving.
• Make seat belts non-negotiable. The driver and every passenger should buckle up before the vehicle moves.
• Have a backup transportation plan. Make sure teens know they can call a parent, another trusted adult, or a safe ride if their original transportation plan changes.
• Talk openly about alcohol and drugs. Teens should know never to drive while impaired or accept a ride from someone who may be impaired.
• Encourage extra caution at night. Reduced visibility can make nighttime driving more challenging, particularly for inexperienced motorists.

Clear expectations can help teens make better decisions while still enjoying activities with their friends.

Make Teen Driving Safety an Ongoing Conversation

Teen drivers gain skill and judgment through experience, but parents can play an important role while those skills are developing. Homecoming season provides a natural opportunity for families to talk about distractions, passengers, speeding, impaired driving, seat belts, and what to do when plans unexpectedly change.

The crash data from Tennessee and Kentucky demonstrate why those conversations matter. A few minutes spent making a plan before a teen gets behind the wheel can reinforce habits that remain important long after homecoming season ends.

Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers encourages families throughout Tennessee and Kentucky to make safe driving part of their homecoming plans and to continue those conversations throughout the year.

If you or your teen have been injured in a wreck, call Hughes & Coleman Injury Lawyers at 800-800-4600 for a free consultation.

Learn More: Risks of Teenage Driving in Kentucky.

Learn More: Teaching Your Teen Responsible Driving and Basic Vehicle Maintenance