National Safety Council: Don't let your teen drive to prom

A nonprofit public safety organization is urging parents to hire a limo or find other forms of transportation for their children to prevent motor vehicle accidents during prom and graduation season -- especially if they plan to drive their peers to the big event.

The National Safety Council said in a news release that teen drivers increase their risk of getting in a motor vehicle accident by 44 percent by having a single young passenger. The risk of an accident increases as the number of teen passengers in the car increases, the organization said.

More than 2,800 teens were killed in motor-vehicle crashes in 2016, according to the National Safety Council’s research. More than 75 percent of parents are unaware that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens, the NSC found. Most fatal nighttime crashes involving teen drivers happen between 9 p.m. and midnight.

For parents who can’t afford a limousine service, the National Safety Council recommends calling an Uber or Lyft, hiring a taxi or even driving their children to prom and graduation themselves.

“Teens should attend their graduations and proms – not funerals,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “Prioritizing safety can ensure these next few weeks are exciting rather than tragic.”