The San Rafael Police Department is asking parents to sit down with their teen drivers before National Teen Driver Safety Week begins Sunday, Oct. 18.

The department's Oct. 15 press release cited federal data showing 2,320 people were killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 18 nationwide in 2024. In California that year, 496 people died in crashes involving drivers ages 20 or younger, according to the release, which cited National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

The stakes are clear. Car crashes remain a leading cause of death for U.S. teens ages 15 to 18, the department said.

Officer Andrew Santos of the San Rafael Police Department said in the release that parents who talk with teens about distractions, speeding and impairment help give them the tools to build safer driving habits on the road.

The awareness week runs Oct. 18 through 24.

What parents can do

The California Office of Traffic Safety recommends several steps, according to the SRPD release:

  • Learn the rules. California's provisional licensing rules generally limit nighttime driving and young passengers during the first 12 months of licensing for drivers under 18, with exceptions.
  • Lead by example. Demonstrate the driving behaviors you expect your teen to follow.
  • Set expectations. No phone use while driving, no distractions from passengers, follow the speed limit and always buckle up.
  • Put it in writing. The California DMV offers a free parent-teen driving contract families can download and sign together.
  • Encourage speaking up. Teens riding as passengers should say something if the driver is speeding, distracted or unbuckled.

Free driving simulator

The state also offers a free, web-based driving simulation called The Road Ahead. The California Office of Traffic Safety and Caltrans released the game in August.

It features three scenarios that put players in first-person driving situations: one involving texting distractions, another involving peer pressure to speed and a third involving impaired driving. Each scenario ends with safety tips and public service announcements, two of which were created by California teens.

A user guide with instructions for getting started is available on the GoSafelyCA website.

The SRPD program is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.