Teen Drivers Urged to Drop Distractions and Follow the Speed Limit to Stay Safe on Colorado Roads

Description: Safety officials urge teen drivers to stay focused, avoid distractions, and follow posted speed limits. Reducing distracted and reckless driving saves lives on Colorado’s roads.

Teen Drivers: Drop the Distractions and Drive the Posted Speed Limit

(COLO) – It’s one of the biggest fears parents have with their child gaining more independence after earning a driver’s license. Along with the freedom of driving also comes risk, including serious crashes. Last year, the Colorado State Patrol investigated 2,791 at-fault crashes by 16-19-year-olds. So far in 2025, troopers have investigated 1,475 at-fault crashes by 16-19-year-olds (July 29, 2025).

Knowing that teens have the lowest usage rate for seat belts may increase your concern. “Some parents and teens falsely believe that airbags are enough to protect themselves in a crash, but airbags were designed to work with seat belts, not replace them,” explains Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “The force of an airbag can violently push you into the vehicle's interior or another passenger.”

Some of the most common injuries from airbags without a seat belt include whiplash, traumatic brain injuries, and neck and spine injuries.

Looking at the top causal factors for the 2,791 at-fault crashes by 16-19-year-olds in 2024, Colorado State Patrol investigators found:

1. Inattentive to Driving (496)

2. Excessive Speeding (459)

3. Following too closely (359)

4. Lane Violations (339)

5. Failed to Yield Right of Way (211)

In addition, Colorado State Patrol crash investigators noticed an uptick in lane violation caused crashes when examining trends over time. Looking at the at-fault teen crash data from 2020 – year-to-date, Colorado State Patrol crash investigators have found that lane violations are higher in 2025 (15.93% of all crashes) compared to the 5-year average for 2020 - 2024 (12.83%). Lane violation crashes can stem from a variety of human behaviors, including distraction, excessive speeding, lack of experience driving in the area, and impairment.

“When a teen earns their license, the learning phase isn’t fully complete,” explained Col. Packard. “We need parents to continue riding with their kids, enforcing the GDL license requirements, and continue those important conversations about any risk-taking behaviors they see their kids engaging in while driving.”

In addition, Studies have shown that as kids get older, they are less likely to want to buckle up,” stated Col. Packard. “Yet, despite what parents think, kids observe and learn from you as they age. Parents or caregivers are the top influence in whether your kids will buckle up.”

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