My name’s Forrest Calland, and I’m a trauma surgeon at the University of Virginia. One of the scariest moments as a parent is when your teenager starts driving. Make sure your teen is aware of some of the leading causes of teen crashes. First, driver inexperience. Crash risk is highest in the first year that a teen has their license. As a parent, practice on a variety of roads at different times of day, and in varied weather and traffic conditions. Second, driving with teen passengers. Crash risk goes up when teens drive with other teens in the car. Follow Virginia’s graduated license restrictions, and limit the number of people in the car. Third, nighttime driving. For all ages, fatal crashes are more likely to occur at night, but the risk is higher for teens. Make sure your teen is off the road at nighttime, and practice night time driving with your teen when you think they are ready. Fourth, not using seat belts. The simplest way to prevent car crash deaths is to buckle up. Require your teen to wear a seatbelt on every trip. This simple step can reduce your teens risk of dying or being badly injured in a crash by almost half. Five, distracted driving. Download apps to use as a family that encourage safe driving practices such as SAFE 2 SAVE or EverDrive.