Traffic safety advocates have expressed concern that fatal accidents claimed the lives of 11 teenagers in Virginia in the first three weeks of 2012.

Youth of Virginia Speak Out, which works to encourage teenagers to drive safely, issued a report in late January, stressing the need for young people to drive cautiously. The fatalities in the first weeks of the month more than tripled the number of teens who died during the same time in 2011, according to the report.

Seeking to put an end to teenage traffic fatalities, the group is urging parents and their young drivers to discuss the responsibilities that come with operating a motor vehicle. Parents should discuss these statistics with their children, the group said, and emphasize the dos and don'ts behind the wheel.

· The dos: Wearing seat belts at all times and continuing to sharpen their driving skills by driving with a parent for practice, even after being granted a driver's license.

· The don'ts: Speeding and driving while distracted, such as fidgeting with the car stereo, talking on a cellphone or sending a text message.

Three January deaths in just the central part of the state were linked to speeding, according to one police officer in Lynchburg, Virginia. He said that only a week into 2012 he had to tell parents of two 17-year-old girls that their daughters were dead because of speeding.

The group said one Virginia high school also is helping by displaying a car destroyed in an accident to show teen drivers just what could happen in an accident. In addition, parents should make clear to teenagers that reckless driving could leave them liable for monetary damages for any injuries or deaths they cause in an accident.

Source: WSET-TV, "Teen Traffic Deaths Increase in 2012," Sally Delta, Jan. 26, 2012