PARKER, Colo. — The mother of a Colorado teen who was killed in a 2020 crash is using National Teen Driver Safety Week to call for increased focus on teen driver safety.
Data from the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) shows an alarming increase in crashes involving teenagers. According to CDOT, more than 8,000 teen drivers have been involved in crashes in the state so far this year — approximately 23 every day.
Christy Schultz lost her 15-year-old daughter, Samantha "Sammie" Raye, in a crash on July 21, 2020.
"Sammie was amazing. She was so fun to be around. She was kind of like the girl who lit up the room," Schultz said.
Sammie had caught a ride with some friends and was close to arriving back home when the crash happened.
"They'd missed the turn into our neighborhood. The driver was a newer driver, and she flipped around and didn't realize there was another car coming," Schultz said. "Sammie was not wearing her seat belt, and she was thrown from the vehicle."
Schultz said her daughter fought for six days in the hospital and was taken off life support the day after she turned 15.
Since her daughter's death, Schultz has been dedicated to raising awareness about teen driving safety and supporting other families impacted by similar crashes through the foundation, Sammie Sunshine.
"We go to schools all over Colorado, and we do Drive Safe Weeks. I have families that call me or email me on a monthly basis telling me, 'My child was in a crash but she heard your daughter's story,' or, 'He heard your daughter's story and was wearing the seat belt because they heard the story,' or, 'They had a bracelet to remind them,'" Schultz added, "It's just life-changing whenever you think about what could have happened to them."
CDOT said speeding is a critical safety issue for teen drivers. In 2022, speeding was a factor in 30% of the fatal crashes that involved teen drivers.
Seat belt use is also a big concern. CDOT data also collected in 2022 shows that 50% of teen drivers who died were not wearing a seat belt.
"It's a lethal combination of over-confidence and inexperience on our roadways that we see in teen drivers," said Sam Cole, CDOT's traffic safety manager. "That's why it is so important for parents to have those hard conversations with their teen drivers and their families about the importance of always buckling up, being safe on our roads and keeping their speeds down."
Cole added, "The goal of the [National Teen Driver Safety Week] is really for parents and caregivers to have those hard conversations with their children about the importance of driving safely. That means always buckling up, staying off your phone and limiting the number of passengers you have with you. Those distractions can be so deadly."
In 2023, there were 119 fatal crashes involving drivers who were 20 years old or younger — a 59% increase over the past five years. So far in 2024, 38 teen drivers have died on the road in Colorado.
CDOT said parents are a significant influence on teen drivers. The department has several tips for parents and teens:
- Have conversations: Initiate open and ongoing discussions with your teen about driving laws and safe driving practices
- Know the laws: Familiarize yourself with Colorado’s nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions. Enforcing these laws with your teen promotes safer driving habits.
- Be a role model: Set an example by consistently practicing safe driving habits yourself — including driving distraction-free and obeying the speed limit. Your teen is more likely to emulate your behavior.
- Address cell phone use: Encourage your teen to put away their phones while driving, designate a passenger as a texter or navigator, or pull over safely before using a mobile device. Remind them that texting while driving is six times more dangerous than drunk driving, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA).
- Promote responsible choices: Discuss the risks of impaired driving, seat belt non-compliance, distracted driving, speeding, and the influence of passengers with your teen. Emphasize the consequences of not following these rules.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
