COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - Teen driving deaths are up 11 percent nationwide from January to June of 2011. From January to Feb. 20 of last year, four teens were killed while driving on roads.
That number is up to seven in that same amount of time this year.
Experts say it's a combination of inexperience, inattention, and even texting while driving that's killing many teens.
South Carolina Highway Patrol Sgt. David Babbitt spends his free time teaching teens to drive -- teens like his 16-year-old daughter, Logan.
Babbitt owns the "Right Way Driving Academy" in Blythewood and has trained dozens of teens to get from point-A to point-B safely and without breaking the law.
"The responsibility they take on driving this vehicle is huge, second probably only to raising a child," said Babbitt.
Babbitt says for many teens they are their own worst enemy. "Of course, dealing with this age, they all think they know it all," he joked.
That's why Babbitt says parents play a major role in getting their teen road ready by setting the example years before their teen's ready to roll on their own.
For males, Babbitt says it's what they try to emulate in the movies that often proves deadly.
"The racing movies, the 'Too Fast Too Furious'-type movies, it gives the presumption to the kids, or they presume it's easy to drive that way, if they dress up their car and drive fast," said Babbitt.
Then there's technology. Babbitt says, it's a growing killer, especially among inexperienced teen drivers.
"The person that's driving while texting fits the same characteristics as a drunk driver," said Babbitt. "A lot of times you could be behind them, they're going to be weaving in their lane, late breaking, coming up on lights and other traffic, same characteristics with texting while driving."
With teens, Babbitt says many think they're invincible and show it behind the wheel.
"They always feel like they can get away with it, whether it be with their parents, with law enforcement, or they've done it before with friends and never had any consequences and there's always going to be that one time where it does happen to kind of put them in check," said Babbitt.
Babbitt says, again, the best thing parents can do for their teenaged drivers is to let them drive to give them the experience behind the wheel.
The driving school courses are 6-hour courses and Babbitt says, that's not enough time for new drivers to experience many of the situations that could get them killed on the roads.
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