COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) — Young drivers are involved in nearly a third of all crashes in Ohio, and state officials are using National Teen Driver Safety Week to warn families that speeding and risky decisions behind the wheel can have deadly consequences. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office, a division o f the Ohio Department of Public Safety, is observing National Teen Driver Safety Week from October 18 through October 25, urging parents and guardians to talk with teenagers about safe driving habits and the consequences of dangerous choices. State crash data shows drivers under the age of 24 account for about 13 percent of licensed drivers in Ohio but are involved in 31 percent of all crashes statewide. Last year, 110 fatal crashes in Ohio involved teen drivers. Authorities determined that teen drivers were at fault in 79 of those crashes, an 18 percent increase from 2024. Driving left of center and traveling at unsafe speeds were the leading contributing factors in those crashes, according to the state. Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Ben Suver said conversations between parents and teenagers can help prevent deadly mistakes. “These numbers are a reminder that every conversation about safe driving matters,” Suver said. “When teens understand the real-world consequences of unsafe choices – and when parents stay engaged and set clear expectations – we can prevent tragedies before they happen.” The state’s campaign this year features the testimony of an Ohio teenager who was involved in a high-speed crash in February 2025 that killed another driver. The teen described how the independence that came with getting a driver’s license led to reckless behavior, including a willingness to drive too fast and disregard traffic signals. “I loved to go fast,” he said. “And eventually it caught up to me.” He said running a red light resulted in the fatal crash, a decision that permanently changed his life and claimed another person’s life. The teenager now shares his experience with other young drivers in Ohio, hoping to prevent similar tragedies. He encourages teens to pause and reconsider their decisions before acting behind the wheel, emphasizing the importance of taking “that second thought” before making a potentially dangerous choice. He is also urging parents to prepare their teenagers more honestly for the risks that come with driving, rather than treating a driver’s license solely as a milestone toward independence. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office says the annual awareness week is an opportunity for families to discuss speeding, traffic signals, driver inexperience and other behaviors that can put young motorists and everyone else on the road at risk. State officials are encouraging parents to remain involved after their teenagers receive licenses, establish clear expectations and reinforce safe driving habits. The campaign emphasizes that decisions made in seconds behind the wheel can have consequences that last a lifetime. The post Ohio Teen Driver Safety Week Highlights Deadly Consequences of Speeding and Risky Driving appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less