Facts and Statistics on Young Drivers
- Crash statistics
- Comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
- Seat belt use
- Hazard perception training programs
- Cell phone and other device use
- Drowsy driving
- Driving and substance use
- Speeding and other risk factors
Crash statistics
Teen driver crashes are the leading cause of death for our nation’s youth. The overwhelming majority of these crashes are caused by inexperience or distractions, not "thrill-seeking" or deliberate risk-taking. (Source: Accident Analysis and Prevention, 2003. 35: p. 921-925: http://www.iihs.org/research/fatality_facts_2007/teenagers.html)
- In the National Young Driver Survey 20 percent of 11th grade drivers reported at least one crash over the past year, while nearly 3 percent experienced two or more crashes.
Go to source - In 2007, 4,946 13- to 19-year-old drivers died in crashes.
Go to source - Crashes are more common among young drivers than any other age group. In the United States, 1 in 4 crash fatalities involve someone 16 to 24 years old, nearly twice as high as other age groups.
Go to source - The fatality rate for drivers ages 16 to 19, based on miles driven, is four times higher than for drivers ages 25 to 69.
Go to source - The crash fatality rate (crash fatalities/100,000 population) is highest for 16- to 17-year-olds within the first six months after licensure — and remains high through age 24.
Go to source - Approximately two-thirds of teen passenger deaths (ages 13 to 19) occur when other teenagers are driving.
Go to source - Child passengers (under age 16) driven by teenagers (ages 16 to 19) have three times the risk of injury in a crash than children driven by adults. Overall, 9 percent of child fatalities occur with a driver under age 19.
Go to source - Older child passengers, ages 12 to 17, are more likely to die in a car crash than younger children. This risk increases with each teenage year. The top three predictors for fatality are nonuse of restraints, teen drivers and roads with speed limits of 45 mph or higher. (Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, March 2008)
Go to source - When riding with a teen driver, child passengers are safer when a sibling is driving. Overall, children driven by teens are twice as likely to suffer crash injury as those driven by adults. However, their risk is 40 percent lower if their teen brother or sister is driving.
Go to source
Comprehensive Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL)
Early evidence indicates Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws work to protect teen drivers if parents actively enforce the restrictions. GDL limits a young driver's exposure to high-risk situations and requires more hours of supervised practice before teens can drive alone.
At its most basic level, GDL is a three-phased licensing system that includes:
- an extended learner's period (driving with adult supervision)
- a restricted license period (for example, limits on unsupervised late night driving and driving with young passengers)
- full licensure without restriction
Nearly all states have some components of GDL law in place to help protect teens from serious accidents during the first several months of driving.
What is the law in my state?
According to The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety the overall number of 16-year-old drivers in fatal crashes fell from 1,084 in 1993 to 938 in 2003, despite an 18 percent increase in the population.
Go to source
- GDL programs reduce the incidence of fatal crashes among 16-year-old drivers by an average of 11 percent, according to a June 2006 study released by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Go to source - A national Gallup Organization poll released by Mothers Against Drunk Driving in April 2006 found 81percent of respondents support GDL for teens, a five percent increase since 2000. Though drivers ages 16 to 24 were less likely than drivers of other age groups to support GDL for teens, more than two-thirds (69 percent) were still in favor of it.
Seat belt use
In the event of a crash, seat belt use saves lives. While buckling up is important for all ages, it is especially crucial for teenagers due to their high crash rate. In recent years seat belt use has improved, but it's still lower for teenagers than for any other age group. Parents and communities need to provide a safe driving environment as the "norm" for their teens, where wearing seat belts is the accepted behavior.
- Two-thirds of teen drivers and passengers killed in crashes were not wearing seat belts. By comparison, 48 percent of drivers and passengers ages 35 and up killed in crashes were not buckled up.
Go to source - The reasons for not using a proven safety measure like a seat belt are unclear. Adolescent development may play a role in this risky driving behavior. Reasons for non-use commonly cited by teens in our series of focus groups were: the belts are uncomfortable; the trip was short; forgetfulness; lack of understanding about the importance of seat belts in a crash; and seat belts are not "cool."
Go to source - Male teens continue to lag behind female teens in seat belt use. In 2005, 12.5 percent of high school males said they rarely or never wore a seat belt when passengers compared to 7.8 percent of high school females.
Go to source - According to the NYDS, teens consistently buckle up when driving, 13 percent more than when they're passengers.
Go to source
Read the study abstract on youthful driving behavior influences.
Read the study abstract on reducing risky teen driving behaviors among minority youth.
Hazard perception training programs
Researchers have pinpointed the three-second sequence that occurs just prior to a crash. Within a one second window drivers scan for hazards. Two seconds is the average time needed to successfully avoid or lessen the severity of a collision once a hazard is detected. Earlier detection and more efficient processing of decisions after detection can help teens to avoid a crash or minimize its severity.
Because their search skills are underdeveloped, new drivers often detect a hazard later than experienced drivers. Add inexperience and a distraction, such as passengers or a cell phone, and even more time is lost. These lost fractions of a second can make the difference between a severe crash and a minor crash or near crash.
Even when teen drivers identify potentially dangerous driving situations, they may not actually perceive them as risky. They tend to underestimate the risk of crashes in hazardous situations and to overestimate their ability to avoid identified threats (Arnett, 2002; Deery, 1999).
Read the study abstract on training new drivers to scan for information.
Read the study abstract on hope for evidence-based interventions.
Passengers as deadly distractions
Non-adult passengers can be a dangerous and fatal distraction for young novice drivers.
Child and Young Teen Passengers
- Between 2000 and 2005, 9,807 children ages 8 to 17 died as passengers in tow-away motor vehicle crashes. More than half of these deceased children (54.4 percent) were passengers in cars driven by drivers under age 20. Two-thirds of the children who died were unrestrained. (Source: FARS database)
- Older children and teen passengers of drivers ages 16 to 19 are involved in nearly as many tow-away crashes with drivers ages 16 to 19 as with drivers in all other age groups combined. Source: NASS database
- Child passengers (under age 16 ) driven by teenagers (ages 16 to 19) have three times the risk of injury in a crash than children driven by adults.
Go to source
- While children driven by teens are far more likely to suffer crash injury as those driven by adults, their risk is 40 percent lower if the teenaged driver is their older brother or sister.
Go to source
- A tipping point occurs at ages 12 to 14 when the death pattern of child passengers shifts to that of teen drivers, who are at a significantly increased risk for death in a crash. Because these children are not yet drivers, this increased risk sends an important message to parents. Early on, parents need to prepare their children to be safe smart passengers and to be aware of the issues related to teen driving. Prevention is key.
(Source: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)
- These three key factors are the greatest predictors of death for older children and teen passengers: 1. Not using restraints; 2. Riding on roads with posted speed limits of 45 m.p.h. or above; 3. Riding with a driver age 16 or younger.
(Source: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)
Peers and Older Teen Passengers
Extensive published research demonstrates that compared with driving alone, teen driver deaths increase with each additional teenage passenger. Conversely, adult passengers actually provide a protective factor and can lower a young driver's crash risk. Teenage passengers create distractions for inexperienced drivers who need to be giving their full attention to the road.
- Current data on crashes involving 16-year-old drivers shows that having multiple teenage passengers in the vehicle is twice as likely to cause a fatal crash as alcohol-impaired driving.
Go to source - Among fatal crashes with 16-year-old drivers in 2003, 28 percent had three or more teenage passengers. Only 13 percent involved drivers with a blood alcohol content above .08.
(Source: NHTSA FARS database) - A 1998 study of police-reported crashes in Ontario found that carrying one teenage passenger almost doubled the fatal crash risk of teen drivers compared to driving alone. The risk was five times higher when two or more teenagers were in the car.
Go to source - In 2007, 6 out of 10 teen passenger deaths occurred in crashes with a teen driver. While night driving with passengers is particularly lethal, many fatal crashes with teen passengers occur during the day.
Go to source - According to the NYDS, 94 percent of teens reported witnessed distracting behaviors by teen passengers at least sometimes.
Go to source - Nearly half of teens participating in the NYDS reported seeing passengers encourage teen drivers to speed at least sometimes.
Go to source - 53 percent of NYDS survey respondents witnessed substance use (alcohol or marijuana) by passengers of teen drivers at least sometimes.
Go to source
Read the study abstract on injury risk to child passengers of teen drivers.
Cell phone and other device use
Cell phone use while driving is pervasive, according to reports from teen respondents of the National Young Driver Survey.
- 80 percent of teen drivers own a cell phone.
- Nine out of 10 have witnessed teen drivers talking on a cell phone; seven out of 10 sometimes see emotionally upset teens drive while talking on a cell phone.
- 53 percent report have seen teens use another kind of handheld device (text messaging, MP3 player, or game) while driving.
- 48 percent reported talking on the phone while driving.
Drowsy driving
Today's busy teenagers get less sleep than they need, which may affect their ability to drive safely. Those who get less sleep than average experience increased daytime sleepiness, depressive mood, high levels of risk-taking behaviors, and lower grades. Young drivers are at particular risk for fatigue-related crashes compared to older age groups. Those ages 16 to 29 are the most likely to be involved in crashes caused by the driver falling asleep (Millman, 2005).
Lack of sleep reduces a person's ability to process information, sustain attention, have accurate motor control, and react normally. All are crucial driving skills.
- Daily sleep is reduced by about 40 to 50 minutes from ages 13 to 19. This is caused by gradually later bedtimes but more or less stable awakening times.
- The majority of fatigue-related crashes are caused by drivers under age 25.
Go to source - Being awake for 18 hours is equal to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08%, which is legally drunk and leaves drivers at equal risk for a crash.
Go to source - 75 percent of NYDS respondents reported seeing teens driving tired at least some of the time.
Go to source
Read the study abstract on youthfulness, inexperience and sleep loss.
Driving and substance use
Through the work of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) and other advocacy organizations, teens have come to recognize the hazards involved in drinking and driving. In fact, relatively few drivers surveyed in the National Young Driver Survey claim to drive while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.
- Teens are actually less likely to drink and drive than in previous years. However when they do, their risk of crashing is far greater, even with low or moderate blood-alcohol levels.
Go to source - Between 2003 and 2005 the percentage of high school males who report driving after drinking dropped slightly, from 15 percent to 12 percent, continuing an ongoing trend
Go to source - In 2002, 24 percent of young drivers killed in automobile accidents were legally intoxicated.
Go to source - 90 percent of teens who participated in the NYDS said they rarely or never drink alcohol or use other drugs and then drive.
Go to source - 50 percent of NYDS respondents have witnessed peers driving after drinking at least sometimes. 48 percent have witnessed passengers drinking at least sometimes.
Go to source - 41 percent of NYDS respondents have seen a peer driving under the influence of marijuana at least sometimes. 38 percent have seen passengers smoking the substance at least sometimes.
Go to source
Speeding and other risk factors
Speeding is implicated in a greater proportion of fatal teen crashes compared with crashes involving drivers of other age groups. It's also much more prevalent among teens than substance abuse. In nationwide focus groups conducted by our researchers, teens define speeding as "more than 10 miles per hour above posted limits."
- In 2005, 38 percent of fatal crashes with 15 to 20-year-old males at the wheel involved speeding.
Go to source - Half of all teens in the NYDS reported driving 10 miles per hour or more over the posted limit at least sometimes.
Go to source
Emotions, whether positive or negative, can have a powerful effect on drivers of all ages. This is particularly true of teens, who are experiencing academic pressures and dramatic physical and emotional changes. In the National Young Driver Survey researchers asked teens how often they saw their peers drive "under the influence" of heightened emotional states:
- 76 percent saw them drive while very upset, stressed, angry or sad (strong negative emotions).
- 74 percent saw them drive while very happy or excited (strong positive emotions).
- 55 percent saw them exhibit behavior described as "road rage."
