Can You Believe Texas Is One of the Best States for Teen Drivers?

Summer a popular time of year for teens to get their driver's license. Because they are out of school, younger drivers have lots of time on their hands to learn and to travel independently. That makes the whole process a little more appealing.

However, on the road, parents may worry more about how their teen is driving. It's understandable: Once they're out of the driveway and out of sight, you can't help but imagine what could go wrong and think back to the days when you were young and maybe not the best driver.

Well, maybe this will make you feel a little better.

WalletHub recently compiled a list of the best states for teen drivers in 2021. Texas ranks 8th for teenagers. They compared the 50 states based on 23 key metrics to determine the safest and least expensive driving environments for teens in the U.S.

The set of data ranges from the number of teen-driver fatalities to the average cost of car repairs and the presence of impaired driving laws.

Here are Texas' rankings in all categories:

Teen Driver Fatalities per 100,000 Teens - Ranked 27th

Ranked Twenty-first - Teen DUIs per 100,000 teens

Ranked 1st in the presence of Distracted-Driving/Texting-While-Driving Laws

Vehicle Miles Traveled per Capita - Ranked 19th

Ranked Seventh - Existence of occupant protection laws

Ranked 1st — Presence of Impaired-Driving Laws

In case you're curious, these are the states that rank higher than Texas: New York, Oregon, Connecticut, Alaska, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Minnesota.

My 14-year-old daughter has been learning how to drive with family members on her mom's side.

I have yet to teach anyone how to drive. My wife says that I should teach because I am a patient and safe driver, so I could lead by example.

When I was a teen driving, I was more conscious of the rules and regulations of driving on the roads.

Also, I was fortunate to learn how to drive in a small Texas town, so there were plenty of long, empty roads free of a lot of cars, unlike the bigger cities.

Where did you learn to drive? Do you worry about your kids being behind the wheel?