Parachute Canada

Desjardins Insurance has teamed up with Parachute, a national charitable organization that focuses on preventing injury and saving lives.

While a driver's licence is a route to independence for many Canadian teenagers, motor vehicle collisions are also the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 19, accounting for one-third of all deaths in this age group.

Here are a few alarming statistics:

• In 2013, 170 teens aged 15-19 died in car crashes in Canada.
• Another 15,821 teens aged 15-19 years were injured in car accidents.
• The majority of traumatic injuries to teens aged 15-19 are due to car crashes.
• Young Canadians are over-represented in crash statistics: they represent only 13% of the licenced driving population but account for approximately 20% of motor vehicle deaths and injuries.
• The most common way for young Canadians to be injured or killed is when they are a driver or a passenger in a vehicle.
• The death rate (number killed per 100,000 licenced drivers) for young drivers aged 15 to 24 is higher than any other age group–about three times the rate for 35-44 year old licenced drivers.