There have been three high-profile crashes involving teens in Westchester County since December. 

News 12 spoke with driver's education instructor Darren Moran, who is stressing the importance of teens taking driving courses to obtain learner's permits and junior licenses.

He is a retired police officer who worked with Sgt. Frank Gualdino. 

Gualdino was killed while driving on Tuckahoe Road in December when a 16-year-old with a learner's permit crashed into him head-on.

"Driving isn't a right, it's a privilege. And if you are going to drive without the proper training or the process, then you're obviously violating the law. You're also going to hurt possibly somebody else," says Moran.

Five people, ranging from ages 6 to 17, were killed on the Hutchinson River Parkway last month. Investigators say the 16-year-old unlicensed driver was either distracted or fell asleep behind the wheel.