No parent wants to be given the news that a teenage son or daughter has been killed in a traffic collision. The statistics are frightening. Teen drivers represent only 4 percent of the state’s licensed drivers but are found at fault in 66 percent of all fatal collisions they’re involved in. Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for Americans 15 to 20. What can parents do to prevent this horrible tragedy from happening to their teens?

The California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa Office, conducts a two-hour driver safety education class called Start Smart, which targets new and future licensed teenage drivers 15 through 19 and their parents or legal guardians. To enroll yourself and your teen in one of the upcoming Start Smart classes, call the California Highway Patrol, Contra Costa Office, at 925-646-4980 or drop by 5001 Blum Road in Martinez.