TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WIAT) — Automobile agencies and authorities are reminding young drivers to practice safe driving in the aftermath of a crash on Saturday that left two teens dead and two others injured in Tuscaloosa.

According to the Alabama Public Health Department, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.

Clay Ingram with AAA Alabama said distractions such as texting, speeding and driving under the influence are a few reasons why teen driving fatalities in Alabama are so high.

“Our teen drivers are our least experienced drivers and they’re also our biggest risk takers. Those two factors combined, they don’t mix well for driving,” Ingram said. “We help them understand how dangerous it is to be behind the wheel of a car and we need to make sure that they’re not driving distracted and impaired in some way.”

Another reason is not wearing a seat belt. In a report from ALEA, none of the four passengers in Saturday’s crash were wearing seat belts.

Friends of the victims gathered at Snow Hinton Park in Tuscaloosa Monday evening to release balloons in remembrance of them. The two teens who died in Saturday night’s crash were students at Bryant High School in Tuscaloosa.

The high school released a statement Monday sending condolences to their families and offering counseling to students throughout this week.

This is the second fatal crash in Tuscaloosa involving two students at Bryant High School.