One of the biggest milestones in a teenager’s life is the day he or she receives a driver’s license. With that new privilege, however, comes enormous responsibility. Is your 16-year-old ready? It is impossible to place too much emphasis on safety. Teen drivers face some frightening statistics - don’t let your child become on of them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Here’s what else the CDC reported:

• The risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens aged 16 to 19 than among any other age group. Teen drivers are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.
• The more teenagers in the car, the greater the crash risk.
• Crash risk is especially high during the first year that teens are eligible to drive, and the risk is one-and-a-half times greater for male drivers.
• Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed. Among male drivers under the age of 21, 38% were speeding at the time of the crash.
• Teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use when compared with other age groups.
• Nearly a quarter of teen drivers killed in a motor vehicle crash had a blood alcohol count of 0.08 or higher.  Nearly 30% of teens admitted that they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking alcohol, while 10% reported having driven after drinking alcohol.
• Half of teen deaths resulting from crashes occurred between 3 pm and midnight, and more than half occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Some parents go to extreme measures to keep their teens in check. To read more, check out Teen Drivers: Track them or trust them?

American Girls and Build-A-Bear have nothing on Ridemakerz. Just ask the boys who shop there.

Ridemakerz is a toy car shop; seven of them are currently in business across the country. Of course, they’re popular with boys. But dads and moms and even sisters are finding Ridemakerz a pretty fun place to be. 

Ridemakerz market to the preteens with their “rimz” and “decalz” and “enginez” and “ridez” and prices too. Accessories for the cars and trucks start at $2.50 while the toy cars themselves start at just $15.00. Ridemakerz is targeted for the beginner who wants to make the toy car of his or her dreams out of 600 million possible combinations.

If the sound of Ridemakerz revs your child’s engine, check out their website. Your child can start picking parts and comparing cars or even planning a Ridemakerz party. Hold on tight; it’s a fun ride!