Teen Driving and Fatal Crashes

Reducing motor vehicle accident rates and deaths in the teenage population is a public health priority.  Efforts to reduce the rates of fatal injuries in young drivers include graduated driving license privileges and reduced legal blood alcohol for teen drivers.  States have variable legal BAC generally any level or a level below 0.01 or 0.02 g/dL compared to .08 to 1.0 g/dL for adults.  Additionally, the hazard related to using a telephone and texting while driving is significant issue with teenage drivers.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently summarized some of the data on teen driving fatality rates in the U.S.  The information is encouraging as there as been a general decrease in the number of driving-related crashes and deaths in this population.  The summary examined changes between 2004 and 2008 for 16 and 17 year olds and the key findings include:

• 10,048 teenage drivers were involved in fatal crashes
• 65% of teenage drivers involved in fatal crashes were male
• 38% decrease in fatal crashes (27.1 per 100,000 population to 16.7 per 100,000 population) from 2004 to 2008 (compared to a 20% decline in fatal crashes for those 18 or over
• Of fatal crashes where blood alcohol levels were known, 79% had a zero blood alcohol concentration
• 5-year annual rates for fatal crashes varied significantly by state with the lowest rate in New Jersey (9.7 per 100,000) to the highest in Wyoming (59.6)--this state variability correlated with state-specific fatality rates for all crashes

It is interesting that New Jersey's lead in reducing teen death rates may be influenced by being the only state that has a minimum drivers license age of 17.

In commentary to the findings, the CDC noted that some of the reduced rates of fatalities may be driven by an adverse economy.  Number of miles driven by teens in not known, but they are typically reduced in poor economic times due to less money for gas, delay in getting a drivers license, fewer miles related to traveling to work and fewer number of cars available for teenagers to use. 

Some improvement in fatal crash rates may also be attributed to external factors.  Improving the safety of roads may be contributing to reduce fatalities.  Cable barriers between multiple lane interstates and freeways appear to reduce crashes and fatalities.  Improved car crash safety measures may also be helping.  Since teens have the highest risk of crashes, it makes sense to play a high-priority on the safety ratings of the vehicles they drive. 

Although drivers education is a common requirement for teen drivers, the content and duration of drivers education receives little attention.  Using driver simulators for training teen drivers is not commonly available but may be one future method to improve psychomotor skills related to safe driving. 

The CDC commentary notes that graduated drivers licensing appears to reduce teen crash death rates by 20% to 40%.  Graduated driving licensing rules vary by state but typically include age restrictions related to driving at night and carrying additional teenage passengers.  Extended duration for learners permits are included in the restrictions in some states.

The CDC encourages parents to review the graduated licensing requirements with their teenagers and to draw up a parent-teen driving contract.  More information about the CDC recommendations for parents of teenage drivers can be found at the Parents Are the Key website. 

Photo of motor vehicle accident aftermath from the Wikipedia Commons public domain from the author Saiki

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2010). Drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes --- United States, 2004-2008. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 59 (41), 1329-34 PMID: 20966895