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Young Driver Research Initiative

Motor vehicle crashes remain the number one cause of death among teens in the U.S. in spite of increased awareness of the importance of seat belt use and the dangers of drinking and driving. The fatality rate for drivers age 16 to 19 years, based on mile driven, is four times that of drivers age 25 to 69 years.

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, and State Farm Insurance Companies ®, the same academic-industry alliance that created and sustains the worlds largest study of children in crashes, have joined together to address the urgent need to advance science to reduce death and injury from young driver-related crashes.

The activities to date for this research alliance include the formation of a multidisciplinary Young Driver Research Initiative (YDRI) Expert Panel and publication of “The Science of Safe Driving Among Adolescents,” a special supplement issue of the journal Injury Prevention, in June 2006. The supplement features 11 articles that provide a broad understanding of driving, adolescent development, and adolescent driving. During this same period, the alliance also conducted quantitative and qualitative research that included scientifically rigorous survey, focus group and interview methods to gain knowledge about teen driving from teens and parents.

In early 2006, the alliance conducted the first National Young Driver Survey to learn about students' perceptions and experiences surrounding teen driving. The weighted data from the survey are representative of all 10.2 million ninth through 11th graders in the United States. It is the most current description of youth perceptions of teen driving. The survey results will inform the direction of further research for years to come. Initial results from the National Young Driver Survey are collected in the alliance's first research report “Driving: Through the Eyes of Teens”.

Last year Congress passed a joint resolution making the third week in October National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW). Its mission is to bring teens, community leaders, educators, and parents together to take take action and increase awareness to help prevent teen crashes, the leading cause of death for American teens. To translate current research into effective action, CHOP and State Farm encourage communities to unify around a common teen driver safety issue. This year's campaign theme was developed in response to compelling research showing that the risk of a fatal crash for a teen driver doubles with just one adolescent passenger, and each additional passenger increases that risk.

To learn more, go to www.ntdsw2008.com

The Children's Hospital and State Farm are committed to continuing research and outreach that can ultimately reduce the risk of crash injury for teen drivers and those that share the road with them. We will share this body of work as it unfolds with those best positioned to implement positive changes for young drivers: policymakers, parents, driving instructors, parents, teens and others. Visit our website for parents and educators at www.chop.edu/youngdrivers .

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New National Teen Driver Safety Week Website

Check out this online campaign planner featuring information and tools for teens, parents, and schools/organizers to take action to help prevent teen driver crashes and injuries.