Paralyzed Oklahoma Girl Hopes To Keep Teen Drivers Safe

Monday marks the beginning of National Teen Driver Safety Week and the U.S. Department of Transportation is encouraging parents to have conversations with teens about how to be safe behind the wheel.

One Oklahoma teen is urging everyone to take distracted driving seriously.

Kaylyn Barbour is using a crash that left her paralyzed to show how important it is to wear a seatbelt.  She was just 16 when a truck she was riding in with friends crashed, she wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Kaylyn was throw from the truck and is now paralyzed from the chest down.

This year she won an award for a video she made for Teen Driver Safety Week and Safe Kids Worldwide.

And because of that, her story is being shared around the world, to help remind other teenagers to make the right choice. 

"It doesn't take long to put your seatbelt on but it could make a huge difference or save your life or prevent a life changing injury like mine," said Kaylyn Barbour.

AAA says parents play a huge roll in setting examples of safe habits behind the wheel.

"Parents have to take prime responsibility in the five years that it takes to learn to drive well and put in to place special precautions consequences, expectations when it comes to driving and help their teens learn to drive," said Leslie Gamble with AAA.

AAA says when a teen driver is on the road with teen passengers, the fatality rate for all people involved in a crash increased 51 percent.