Chesterfield County parent reminds of the importance of parent’s role in teen driving
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — There's a greater push for teen driver safety as this week of October marks National Teen Driver Safety Week. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for United States teens. A mother who lost her 15-year-old son to a car crash spoke with 8News about the importance of this awareness. "I have always believed that driving was a privilege," said Amy Fowler. Fowler lost her son Wyatt Fowler, a Midlothian High School student, to a car crash in December of 2023. Fowler along with four other teens were in the car at the time, and were aged 15, 16, 16, 17 and 17. Chesterfield County Police confirmed a Chevrolet Impala ran off the road and struck a tree on Brandermill Parkway near Barnes Spring Road. The four other teens including the driver were seriously injured. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Community mourns Midlothian High School football player killed in crash “I think a teen's inexperience behind the wheel makes them more susceptible to crashes, and, you know, I didn't realize any of that until my own child was killed," Fowler said. According to AAA, there were 23,409 crashes involving teens in 2023. Across the Central region, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' Traffic Records Electronic Data System, or TREDS, in the City of Richmond there were 564 crashes involving teens last year, 747 in Henrico County and 1,048 in Chesterfield County. “They need to understand that when they get behind the wheel, they're taking responsibility for every person that is in their vehicle," Fowler said. Fowler added that she has had conversations before with her children on the dangers of drinking and driving or doing drugs while driving, and told 8News that speeding is a topic parents should also have with their kids. For more details on National Teen Driver Safety Week, click here.
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — There's a greater push for teen driver safety as this week of October marks National Teen Driver Safety Week.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for United States teens.
A mother who lost her 15-year-old son to a car crash spoke with 8News about the importance of this awareness.
"I have always believed that driving was a privilege," said Amy Fowler.
Fowler lost her son Wyatt Fowler, a Midlothian High School student, to a car crash in December of 2023.
Fowler along with four other teens were in the car at the time, and were aged 15, 16, 16, 17 and 17. Chesterfield County Police confirmed a Chevrolet Impala ran off the road and struck a tree on Brandermill Parkway near Barnes Spring Road.
The four other teens including the driver were seriously injured.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Community mourns Midlothian High School football player killed in crash
“I think a teen's inexperience behind the wheel makes them more susceptible to crashes, and, you know, I didn't realize any of that until my own child was killed," Fowler said.
According to AAA, there were 23,409 crashes involving teens in 2023.
Across the Central region, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles' Traffic Records Electronic Data System, or TREDS, in the City of Richmond there were 564 crashes involving teens last year, 747 in Henrico County and 1,048 in Chesterfield County.
“They need to understand that when they get behind the wheel, they're taking responsibility for every person that is in their vehicle," Fowler said.
Fowler added that she has had conversations before with her children on the dangers of drinking and driving or doing drugs while driving, and told 8News that speeding is a topic parents should also have with their kids.
For more details on National Teen Driver Safety Week, click here.
