Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for 36% of all deaths in this age group. The rate of motor vehicle fatalities is highest in the 16 year-old driver group. (CDC 2006 and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, 2005)
 Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive (IIHS 2006).
- Based on estimated miles traveled annually, 16-year-old drivers have a crash rate three times more than 17-year-olds, 5 times greater than 18-year-olds, and ten times that of 30-59 year-olds. (NHTSA, 2001)
In Indiana, only 6.6% of all licensed drivers are between the ages of 16 and 20, however, this age group accounted for 20.4% of all single vehicle fatal crashes and more than 15% of all fatal crashes.
Every year in the U.S., more than 5,000 teens ages 15-19 die of injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes, and more than 1/2 million teens sustain nonfatal injuries severe enough to require treatment in an emergency department (CDC 2006).
The annual estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes involving drivers between 15 and 20 years old is $42.3 billion. (NHTSA)
Young drivers represent a significant highway safety problem to all motorists and non-motorists.
In 2004, 7,386 people were killed in crashes nationwide involving young drivers ages 16-20. Of those killed, 3,523 were the young driver. The rest were their passengers or other motorists, pedestrians or bicyclists. (NHTSA, 2005)
Each year, roughly 1,000 16-year-old drivers are involved in fatal crashes. Of these, approximately 400 of the fatalities are the 16-year-old drivers.
- There are nearly 100,000 involved in injury crashes with 10,000+ resulting in incapacitating injuries.
From 1995-2004, here in Indiana, 887 lives were lost in crashes involving young novice drivers. Of these deaths, 40% were the young drivers themselves. The remaining 60% were their passengers, other motorists, pedestrians or bicyclists.
Risk Factors
Teen drivers are far more likely than other drivers to be involved in fatal crashes because they lack driving experience, underestimate hazardous or dangerous situations, and tend to take greater risks due to their immaturity.
 Teens are more likely than older drivers to speed and allow shorter headways (the distance from the front of one vehicle to the front of the next).
Statistics show that the crash risk for teen drivers increases dramatically as the number of passengers increases. By adding one passenger, the crash risk doubles. With two passengers, the risk nearly triples. And with three or more passengers, the risk is five-fold. (AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety)
- Half of the crash deaths that involve 16-year-old drivers occur when the beginners are driving with teen passengers. (IIHS)
Each year, more than 40% of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. with the majority occurring between 9 p.m. and midnight. More than half occur on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday (IIHS 2006).
Nearly 80% of collisions involve some form of driver inattention. One study showed that the risk of having a collision increased by up to 400% when talking on a cell phone while driving. It also slows the average person's reaction time to that of a 70-year-old.
Graduated Driver's Licensing Facts
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) is a system that is effective in reducing young driver crash fatalities. It is designed to introduce young drivers to the driving experience gradually, by phasing in full driving privileges over time and in lower-risk settings.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the IIHS have found that passenger restrictions for young drivers could save hundreds of lives each year. If 100% of teen drivers drove by themselves, rather than riding with other young drivers, 275 lives could be saved each year. (IIHS, 1999)
Studies show that nighttime driving restrictions typically are associated with crash reductions of about 40 to 60 percent during the restricted hours.
Requiring longer learner's permit periods (at least 6 months) provides more time for beginners to practice driving, through various seasons and weather conditions, under the supervision of adults.
Supervised practice driving is imperative to helping novice drivers gain valuable experience. Currently 40 states require parents to certify that their children have acquired a minimum amount of practice time, typically 50 hours. Indiana currently requires NO practice driving time.
- A survey conducted in Michigan indicates that parents are very positive of the 50-hour requirement. These parents also reported an average of 75 hours of supervised driving.
Does GDL work?
Yes! All 50 States and the District of Columbia have some form of a GDL law, but they vary from state to state. Therefore the effectiveness varies as well. However, research has shown that GDL has had positive effects on reducing young driver crashes.
A study, released this year by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, shows that more comprehensive programs have the greatest results. The findings revealed that if a state has a GDL program with at least five of the seven common components, 16 year-old drivers were involved in 38 percent fewer fatal crashes and 40 percent fewer crashes that resulted in injuries. No state currently has all seven components. All states surrounding Indiana have 3 or more components in place, with Kentucky having the most comprehensive law of all. Indiana currently has only 2 components, making it very weak in comparison.
Do parents support graduated licensing?
 Yes, parents strongly favor it. An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety survey of parents of young drivers in California who had gone through the graduated licensing process found:
- 95% in support of a 6-month period of supervised driving (permit holding time)
- 94% favored night driving restrictions
- 84% favored restricting teenage passengers during the first 6 months
- 97% said they favored a licensing system that includes all of these components
The survey was conducted in 2000.
A 2001 Harris Poll shows nearly unanimous support (95%) for at least 30 to 50 hours of practice driving with an adult and an equally large majority (92%) responding in favor of a six month holding period. In addition, a three-to-one majority (74% to 23%) supports limiting the number of teen passengers in the car with a teen driver and supervised driving during high-risk periods, such as nighttime.
A 2007 survey of Indiana residents (primarily parents of teen drivers or upcoming teen drivers) found that:
- 80% support increasing the licensing age by 6 months
- 92% support a 6 month permit holding period
- 88% support night time driving restrictions, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., for the first 6 months
- 92% support passenger restrictions for 6 months
- 85% support a 50-hour driving log
- 97% support a restriction on using cell phones or other handheld devices while driving
Resources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS); AAA Foundation for
Traffic Safety
Dear Parent,
 Learning to drive is one of the most significant steps in your child's progression to adulthood, and it's also one of the most challenging parts of parenting. With auto crashes the leading killer of teens, responsible for two out of every five teen deaths, you're right to be concerned about your child's driving. This AAA Parent-to-Parent Teen Driving Discussion Guide (see below) can help you, your teens, their friends and their parents develop rules that will help you all get through this exciting process more safely and with a bit less anxiety.
There is reason to worry. Statistics illustrate the dangers inexperienced drivers face:
- The fatal crash rate per mile driven is twice as high among 16-year olds as it is among 18- to 19-year olds.
- Forty-two percent of the deaths of teenagers in motor vehicles during 2003 occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
- Adding teenage passengers to the vehicle greatly increases the crash risk for new drivers. With one passenger, the fatal crash risk nearly doubles. With two or more passengers, it increases five-fold.
Though these statistics are alarming, there are steps you can take to keep your teens safe. Recognizing that learning to drive is one of the riskiest periods of your child's life is the first, important step. The second step is establishing a serious dialogue with your teen well before they reach driving age.
Teen drivers are at risk because they are inexperienced. Keeping them safe is a matter of giving them time, and the right conditions, to gain the experience they need to be good drivers. That means time driving with you, and time driving by themselves, when they can focus on the complex and dangerous task of driving without distractions.
Responsibility for setting the parameters for your teen's access to a vehicle will rest largely on you, the parent. Restricting your teen's driving privileges can be contentious — especially if you've imposed rules that other parents have not. We've all heard "Nobody else has to follow these rules" and "Come on Dad, this isn't fair." But the stakes are high, and imposing rules about driving other teens, and riding with teen drivers, can be a life-saving decision. If you're the first parent in your teen's group to take this step, it can be difficult. To help you discuss your rules with other parents we've designed the attached conversation guide to help ease the strain for you and your teen driver. These guidelines are only intended to serve as a starting point, and ideally, parents should get together to collectively set teen driving privileges.
We hope this will encourage a dialogue on teen driving in your community and go a long way toward keeping your new driver and everyone on the road safe.
AAA has been committed to teen driver safety for more than half a century. From pioneering driver education in the 1930s, to recent advocacy efforts to improve graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws, AAA clubs across the country remain dedicated to improving the way teens are licensed in this country. In 1997 only eight states had GDL laws, and now every state and the District of Columbia has some form of GDL. We've also developed guidelines for parents to use when selecting a driver education school, which are available at www.aaa.com/publicaffairs.
Let's work together to make our driving environment safe for everyone.
How to start a group conversation on teen driving
- Bring together the parents of your children's closest friends in a social setting and talk about the limits you've placed on your teen's driving. (Parent-to-Parent Agreement and Parent-Teen Driving Agreement (WYND AAA Form 3527) - PDF 420K)
- Work through your community association to have a meeting for parents.
- Talk to adult leaders of groups your teen is involved in — sports teams, school band, church youth group, after school clubs, etc. — about setting up a meeting for parents.
- Ask community groups and businesses that employ large numbers of teens to facilitate conversations about teen driving.
Things to talk about
- Parents are Role Models: Research shows a strong relationship between children's behavior in the vehicle and their parents' actions. Teens say that the greatest role models they have are their parents. If you speed, tailgate and run red lights, your teen is likely to as well. Remember: There's no better role model than you.
- Seat Belts Save Lives: If your teen is allowed to transport other passengers, encourage them to insist that everyone who rides with them wear their seat belts — regardless of age or where they sit in the vehicle. Compared with other age groups, teens have the lowest rate of seat belt use. An analysis of federal crash data shows that more than two-thirds of teen occupants killed in crashes are not wearing safety belts.
- Cell Phones: Distracted drivers representing all age groups are a factor in 25 to 50 percent of all vehicle crashes. Remind teens that driving requires their full attention. If using a phone is unavoidable, they should use it at a safe time and place. Again, remember there's no better role model than you.
Review your state's laws
Look at your state's GDL law as a baseline.
- Nighttime Curfews: The nighttime (9:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.) fatal crash risk for 16-year old drivers is particularly high, about two times the daytime (6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.) risk. Many states already have a nighttime restriction so check the law and use the information to set a reasonable curfew for your teen. Encourage parent carpools for special occasions, such as dances or other school events. Nighttime crash rates are generally higher, as are alcohol-related crashes, during the early morning hours. If the nighttime restriction in your state starts at midnight or if your state doesn't have a restriction — talk about ways you can carpool to keep teens off the road even earlier at night.
- Passenger Restrictions: Teen passengers distract teen drivers, and dramatically increase the risk of a crash. One of the most effective GDL provisions is a strict passenger restriction. If you are comfortable restricting your teen from carrying passengers for the first six months to a year that they are licensed, talk to other parents to see if they will enforce the same limits. If you can't get other parents to agree, at least inform them about the driving restrictions your teen faces and encourage them to tell their children that they can't ride in the car with your teen for a set period of time and that your teen isn't allowed in their car without adult supervision.
Look out for each other's kids
- Extend the "Neighborhood Watch" Principle to Teens in the Neighborhood: Share the rules in your house with your neighbors and close friends. The more people looking out for your teen, the better.
- Talk With Other Parents: Use extracurricular activities as a way to talk to other parents. These events provide a perfect opportunity to talk about teen driving, as well as other social issues facing teens. Limiting teen driving means a few more months for parents to drive to school, athletic practices, and after-school activities. Offer to drive other teens when you are driving your own — lead by example and maybe others will reciprocate!
Resources to help
You can also contact your local AAA club for more information.
Good Luck!
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