Guidebook

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Reducing the Crash Risk for Young Drivers
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Published June 2006 Prepared by Traffic Injury
Research Foundation Available online
at www.aaafoundation.org
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The Problem

• Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of
  death for teenagers.
• Government data show that, per mile driven,
  16-year-olds are involved in more than 5 times as
  many fatal crashes as adults in their thirties,
  forties, or fifties.

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More on The Problem

• Nearly half of 16- and 17- year-old drivers
  involved in fatal crashes were carrying at least
  one passenger under 21 and no adult passengers.
• Over one-third of deaths of 16- and 17-year-old
  drivers occur between 9 PM and 6 AM.

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Purpose of This Research

• To illuminate the causes of collisions involving
  teens covered by GDL
• Use this information to improve GDL as well as
  other related measures
• Driver education
• Parental management of teen driving

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Methods

• Study One Comprehensive crash analysis using
  existing data
• Study Two Compare teens who crash with those
  who are crash-free on a wide range of variables
  using new data

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More Methods

• Selection criteria
• Substantially different GDL programs
• Similarities on other features (e.g., size,
  population, age distribution)
• Data systems capable of supporting the studies
• Support and cooperation from relevant agencies
• Study 1 Oregon and Ontario
• Study 2 Oregon and British Columbia

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Study 1

• Per-capita and per-driver crash rates of teen
  drivers in Oregon and Ontario
• Characteristics of teen driver crashes in the two
  study sites, particularly those related to GDL
  conditions
• Crashes during late night hours
• Crashes with passengers

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Study 2

• Telephone interviews with crash-involved and
  crash-free teens and one of their parents
• Oregon 1,125 teen/parent interviews
• British Columbia 1,161 teen/parent interviews

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Results

• Crash-involved teens are more likely to violate
  GDL restrictions
• Teens who took driver education had fewer hours
  of driving practice
• Crash rates among 16 year-old drivers were much
  lower in the jurisdiction whose intermediate
  stage had both night and passenger restrictions

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More Results

• Crash-involved teens were more likely to
• Rate themselves as less skilled
• Commit unintentional driving errors
• Have a lower degree of safety-mindedness
• Intentionally commit highway code violations and
  aggressive violations
• Engage in risky driving and health-compromising
  behaviors

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More Results

• Parents of crash-involved teens have more
  difficulty in communicating about driving issues
  and have lower monitoring skills

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• So what can we do to help make teen drivers safer?

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Solutions

• Prohibit unsupervised night driving
• Restrict the number of passengers, especially
  teens, when driving unsupervised
• Laws to enact or upgrade GDL should include a
  later entry age and a longer learner period

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More Solutions

• Certified driving practice under supervision
  should be a requirement
• Initiatives should be designed to aid parents

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Summary

• Despite GDL laws in most states, car crashes are
  still the leading cause of death for teens.
• To reduce the number of crash-related teen
  deaths, the following steps should be considered
• Teens need their parents to be more involved
• GDL provisions should include nighttime and
  passenger restrictions

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The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a
501(c)(3) public charity located in Washington,
DC that is dedicated to saving lives and reducing
injuries. It is supported by donations from
AAA/CAA Clubs, AAA/CAA members, and other
organizations associated with AAA/CAA.