Cpl. Steve Smith with the Alabama State Troopers taught a Driver's Education class to Chilton County students Thursday.

Teenagers are twice as likely to crash as drivers in their 20s.

Cpl. Steve Smith with the Alabama State Troopers shared those sobering statistics Thursday with students during a drivers’ education class at Chilton County High School.

The purpose of the class was to help the students, ages 15 to 17, become more responsible drivers after learning the dangers of alcohol, not wearing a seat belt and distractions can cause.

“Drivers ages 16 to 19 are twice as likely to crash as those 20 to 24, three times as likely as those 25 to 29 and more than four times as likely as those 30-69. Among those 16-19 years old, the youngest drivers have the highest risk,” said Smith, as he read from the Surviving Teen Driving brochure he gave to the students.

Smith gave the students several examples of how not following the rules and regulations of the road and being a careless driver can be life altering to the driver and anyone else involved.

“Alabama is currently the second worst state in the nation for teen driver fatalities,” he said. “Teen drivers are the least experienced. When driving you accept adult responsibilities.”

Following his presentation, Smith opened the floor for questions from the students and presented a slideshow of the results of being a careless driver.

“They listen to me teaching them, but I just wanted to actually get someone out here like a state trooper to educate the students on being safe on the road,” said Deon Timmons, CCHS health/physical education instructor.