A new University of Michigan study has a finding that’s hard to ignore: only about one in three parents is worried their teen driver might cause a crash.

Given that car crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S., you’d expect that number to be higher. So what’s going on?

Nearly all parents believe their child drives as well as — or better than — other young drivers. Which is a statistical impossibility. But here’s where it gets more surprising: more than half of parents surveyed had personally witnessed their teen driving unsafely, including:

• 44% who saw aggressive driving like speeding or tailgating
• 25% who observed distracted driving — texting, multitasking
• 17% who were aware of impaired driving from fatigue, emotion, or substances

And yet only a quarter imposed any consequences.

The researchers think they know why: parents who engage in the same risky behaviors themselves are less likely to see them as serious in their teens.
What parents can actually do:

Stay engaged after licensure. The first year is statistically the most dangerous — that’s when habits get tested without an adult present.

Ask your teen to narrate their driving. “What do you see ahead?” keeps new drivers actively scanning instead of going on autopilot.

Model what you want to see. Teens absorb more from watching you drive than most parents realize.

Passing a road test and being a safe driver aren’t the same thing. The conversation shouldn’t end at licensure.

Fresh Green Light has trained 35,000+ students across Fairfield County since 2009, with a first-year accident rate of 12.5% vs. a national average of 25–50%.