VIRGINIA, USA — Traffic deaths involving young people are on the rise.
Starting this week, an initiative aims to keep young people safe on the road.
According to Virginia State Police, the number of teens who died behind the wheel jumped 56% in 2021.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks car crashes as the second leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S.
So far this year, data from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles shows 56 teen drivers died through August, and more than 500 were seriously injured in crashes.
RELATED: Federal transportation report shows uptick in traffic deaths in VA, NC in first quarter of 2022
But Casey Taylor and her group, Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Safety, are launching an initiative this week in schools across the Commonwealth.
"Looking at the numbers, we want to bring that back down," said Taylor, program development coordinator for YOVASO. “We’re hoping to really target the seatbelts, target the speeding, and push this message to slow down and buckle up.”
The initiative is called, “Drive for Change: Buckle Up and Slow Down," and it encourages students to promote driving safety among their peers. The program hopes to promote "a lifelong buckle-up habit" for young people.
CDC research shows at least 48% of 16 to 19-year-olds who died in crashes in 2019 were not wearing a seat. A federal transportation report indicates seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries by about half.
The campaign launched this week and will last until December.
Student-led groups in each participating school or youth organization can compete for the most effective messaging and the biggest impact on their peers.
“You know, having students in the school who are saying, ‘People are dying from this. People are dying from speeding. People are dying from driving distracted,'" said Taylor.
Gloucester High School in Gloucester County, as well as York High School and Tabb High School, both in York County, are participating schools this year.
RELATED: Promoting safe driving at York County schools | What one mother is doing to help keep kids safe
This isn’t just a "teen" problem.
According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report last month, we just experienced the deadliest start of a year on U.S. roadways in two decades.
Experts said the number of traffic crashes spiked during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the problems didn’t stop.
According to AAA, new teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults.
For more information about YOVASO and the campaign, click here.