Teen Driver Safety Week continues through Oct. 24

Did you know that in 2014 more than 38,000 teenage drivers were involved in car accidents throughout the state?

The National Safety Council is aiming to better educate the country on "the biggest threat to teenage safety" — car accidents, a press release said.

Through Oct. 24, the group is observing National Teen Driver Safety Week.

"The biggest threat to teens’ safety is sitting in the driveway,” said Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, in a press release. “The statistics have shown this for years, yet too many parents still do not appreciate that the first year and first thousand miles of driving are the most deadly time in a teen’s life.”

Last year, 71 deaths and 9,945 injuries resulted from car accidents with teen drivers in Florida, Florida Highway Patrol Lieutenant Greg Bueno said.

There are also more than 700,000 teenage drivers on Florida roads today, he said.

The National Safety council credits distracted driving, such as talking on the phone and texting, and drunk driving as factors that lead to car accidents involving teens.

Visit DriveitHOME.org for more information.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at[email protected].