ADOT supports Teen Driver Safety Week

PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is encouraging parents and guardians to speak with their teens about safe driving behaviors to help keep them safe when they’re behind the wheel.

While these discussions are important year-round, Teen Driver Safety Week, Oct. 18-24, is an opportunity for parents and guardians to speak with their teens about specific risk factors teen drivers face — such as not wearing seatbelts, distracted and impaired driving, and speeding.

Teens can get started by familiarizing themselves with the rules of the road in the Arizona Driver License manual and can take practice written tests to better prepare themselves before obtaining their permit. Upon getting their permit, parents and guardians should supervise their teens while they practice driving to help them learn safe habits and become familiar with real road conditions. 

That experience, whether through driving practice with parents or guardians or a driver education program, is essential. Traffic crashes are a leading cause of deaths for teens ages 15-18 in the United States. In 2025, there were 31 drivers between the ages of 15-18 that were killed in crashes on Arizona roads, according to crash reports submitted by law enforcement agencies and compiled by ADOT.

“Out of line, and safely on the road is more than helping get MVD customers in and out of our offices as fast as possible,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Mike Cryderman said. “Providing resources to new drivers in formats that are convenient and accessible, such as at-home permit tests, is crucial to ensuring all drivers on Arizona roadways are safer.”

Remember the rules of the road: 

• Buckle up on every trip, every time: No matter how short the trip, make sure your seatbelt is properly fastened.  
• Don’t drive impaired: Drinking before the age 21 is illegal in every state, and drugs can also impair driving. 
• Don’t drive distracted: Arizona’s Hands Free Law prohibits drivers from using a stand-alone electronic device while driving unless it’s being used in “hands-free” mode.  
• Obey the posted speed limit: Speeding is a critical issue, especially for teens who lack experience to react to changing roadway circumstances. 
• Limit passengers: With each passenger in the vehicle, your risk of a deadly crash increases.

In Arizona, drivers under the age of 18 have certain restrictions for the first six months with a license. They are allowed only one passenger in the car with them except siblings or a parent that is licensed and seated next to the driver. They are not allowed to drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless they are going directly from a sanctioned school or religious activity, work or a family emergency. 

These restrictions are meant to reduce distractions and other issues during the first few months of teens driving on their own. Parents and guardians should be good role models and demonstrate safe driving habits for their teens. 

To find more information about teen license restrictions and permissions, visit azdot.gov/teendrivers.