Teen Crashes – Everyone is at Risk

When we consider all crashes involving 15 to 17 year-old drivers we find that, on the average, nearly two individuals are killed for every teen driver killed.  A recent AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study analyzed data on fatal motor vehicle crashes from 1998 through 2007 and identified all fatal crashes involving 15, 16, and 17 year-old drivers. 

On a positive note, the number of young drivers involved in fatal crashes each year decreased substantially over the years analyzed, with 776 fewer drivers age 15 to 17 involved in fatal crashes in 2007 than in 1998.  There was also a substantial decrease in the fatal crash involvement of adult drivers over the same period; however, the decrease in the fatal crash involvement of young drivers and people killed in those crashes was significantly larger than what would have been predicted from the decrease in the fatal crash involvement of adults.

The study found that 36.9% of people killed in young driver crashes were the young drivers themselves.  31.4% were passengers of young drivers.  24.4% were occupants of other vehicles, and another 7.0% were non-motorists.  
Simply put, teen drivers are not the only people at risk when it comes to teen driver accidents...so what can we do about it?

To help reduce teen driver crashes, AAA set an ambitious goal in 1997 to establish graduated driver licensing, or GDL, systems in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  When Wyoming and Montana enacted their GDL laws in 2005, that goal was achieved.  These legislative efforts have helped save lives by providing teens the opportunity to gain more driving experience under lower risk conditions. 

Much work remains to be done, though.  Many state GDL systems still lack the comprehensive network of effective passenger restrictions, night limits, and mandatory practice requirements shown by research to save lives.  That's why in 2009, AAA continues to make teen driver safety one of the Association's top safety priorities.  AAA  clubs across the country remain focused on strengthening existing GDL systems, educating parents, and creating programs and partnerships to address this issue.