Your teenager wants those car keys. This week gives you the perfect reason to have the conversation that could save their life.
National Teen Driver Safety Week runs October 19-25, and the City of Austin wants parents talking with their teens now – before another young driver becomes a statistic. Motor vehicle crashes kill more teens than anything else in America. In Texas alone, 410 drivers under 20 died in crashes last year. Fourteen of those young people, ages 16-25, crashed on Austin roads.
Those numbers represent real kids with real futures cut short.
The Conversation Your Teen Needs to Hear
Parents shape how teens drive more than any driver’s ed course ever will. Your actions behind the wheel teach louder than your words, but both matter.
Sit down with your teen this week. Talk about driving sober – every single time, no exceptions. Discuss why phones stay silent and out of reach while driving. Explain that speed limits exist for reasons written in blood. Make sure they understand that seatbelts aren’t suggestions.
Then model those same behaviors yourself. Your teen watches how you drive, how you handle distractions, whether you speed through yellow lights. They’ll copy what you do, not what you say.
Catherine Cousar, Public Information Specialist at Austin Municipal Court, puts it plainly: “Parents play a critical role in preparing their teens to be safe and responsible drivers. It is important for parents to both teach their teens safe driving practices and to model those practices themselves.”
Get Answers at This Weekend’s Trunk-or-Treat
Austin Municipal Court brings the conversation to you this Saturday. Head to the Austin ISD and Austin Police Department’s Trunk-or-Treat at Nelson Field on October 25 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. While your younger kids collect candy, grab information on teen driving safety from Municipal Court staff.
Wondering how your teen gets their first license? Ask questions. Need help navigating the Texas licensing process? Get answers from people who handle these cases daily.
The event happens at 7105 Berkman Drive in Austin. Your family gets Halloween fun while you tackle something far more important than costume choices – preparing your teen to drive safely.
Resources When You Need Them
Texas Department of Public Safety’s website walks you through teenager licensing requirements, from learner’s permits through full licenses. Austin Municipal Court’s Youth Services unit stands ready to answer questions at 512-974-4659.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides detailed information on teen driving safety at nhtsa.gov/road-safety/teen-driving.
Why This Week Matters
Teen Driver Safety Week exists because the statistics keep climbing. Young drivers lack experience reading road conditions, judging distances, and managing emergencies. Add in distractions from phones and passengers, plus that teenage sense of invincibility, and you’ve got a deadly combination.
But parents can change those odds. Studies show that teens whose parents set clear driving rules and enforce them consistently crash less often. Teens who see their parents drive safely tend to drive safely themselves.
This week gives you the framework to start that conversation. Use it.
What Happens Next
Your teen will push back. They’ll insist they’re careful, that crashes happen to other people, that you’re overreacting. Keep talking anyway.
Set non-negotiable rules before they get their license. Zero tolerance for drinking and driving. Phones off or in the glove box. Passenger limits, especially at night. Curfews that keep them off roads during the most dangerous hours.
Then follow through. The first time they break a rule, consequences happen immediately. Because the alternative – getting that call from police or a hospital – destroys families.
Take Action This Weekend
Stop by Nelson Field on Saturday evening. Bring the whole family. Let your younger kids enjoy the trunk-or-treat while you gather information that could save your teen’s life. Talk with Austin Municipal Court staff who’ve seen what happens when teens drive unprepared.
Then go home and have the real conversation with your teenager. Show them the statistics. Explain your rules. Tell them why you’re setting boundaries – not to control them, but to keep them alive.
Those car keys represent freedom for your teen. Make sure they also understand the responsibility that comes with them.
Event Details
Austin ISD/Austin Police Department Trunk-or-Treat
- Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
- Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
- Location: Nelson Field, 7105 Berkman Drive, Austin, TX 78752
- Cost: Free
- Info: Austin Municipal Court staff on-site with teen driving safety resources
Contact Information
- Austin Municipal Court Youth Services: 512-974-4659
- Texas DPS Licensing Info: dps.texas.gov
- NHTSA Teen Driving Resources: nhtsa.gov/road-safety/teen-driving
