Teen Driving Safety
Definition: Teen driver safety refers to programs, policies, or practices used to improve the safety of new drivers to reduce teen motor vehicle fatal and non-fatal crashes.
Magnitude of the Problem
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury death for teens ages 15-19 in the United States.1
- Between 2019-2022, there were 8,559 deaths (9.9 deaths per 100,000) among motor vehicle occupants (driver or passenger) ages 15-19.
- Male youth were at higher risk (12.8 deaths per 100,000) compared to females (6.9 deaths per 100,000).
- American Indian/Alaska Native youth had the highest rate (24.9 per 100,000), followed by Black (12.5 per 100,000), White (10.2 per 100,000), Hispanic (9.6 per 100,000), Multiracial (5.0 per 100,000), and Asian, Hawaiian Native, or Pacific Islander teens (3.1 deaths per 100,000).
- Although fatal crashes were more common in metro areas (73%) than non-metro areas (27%), youth in non-metro settings had higher rates of death (19.3 per 100,000) compared to those in metro areas (8.4 per 100,000).
- Most of these youth occupant deaths occurred when a teen was driving the vehicle. According to the 2019-2022 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), about 3 in 5 (62%) occupant deaths ages 15-19 were among teen drivers.2
Prevention
There are several known risk factors associated with the prevalence of teen crashes and fatalities, including: lack of experience, impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding, driving with teen passengers, not using a seatbelt, and nighttime driving.3
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following prevention measures to mitigate teenagers’ risk factors: 4
- Enforcement and strengthening of graduated drivers licensing (GDL) systems.
- Primary enforcement of seat belt laws.
- Enforcement of substance use and driving laws.
- Parent/caregiver monitoring and supervision of their teenager’s driving.
- Selecting a vehicle with safety features (when possible).
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) 2019-2022. Accessed August 16, 2024. https://wisqars.cdc.gov/
2. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2019-2022. Accessed May 29, 2024. https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars
3. Alderman EM, Johnston BD. The Teen Driver. Pediatrics. 2018;142(4):e20182163. doi:10.1542/peds.2018-2163
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Reducing Risk for Teen Drivers. Accessed July 31, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/prevention/index.html