Reducing Teen Driving Fatalities
1 Jun 2012
Tougher licensing requirements for teenage drivers could cut teen crash deaths by 500 lives annually or at least by 50 percent, according to a study published on May 31, 2012 by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an independent, nonprofit industry group dedicated to reducing road crashes and associated injuries, property damage, and deaths.
The Institutes states five key driving law components that could help reduce teen crash deaths:
- permit age
- practice driver hours
- night driving
- license age
- teen passenger restrictions
Research has demonstrated that the states with the strongest driving laws among 15-to-17 year old drivers have the largest reductions in crashes and collisions. But “Even the best states can do better,” said Anne McCartt, institute senior vice president for research. “There’s room for improvement across the board, and states could see immediate reductions in fatal crashes and collision claims as soon as the beefed-up provisions are in force.”
In 2011, Michigan was one state that toughened its rules-of-the-road for new, young drivers. It moved the state’s teen driving hours from a midnight curfew to restricted hours of 10 p.m. to 5.am., unless the teen was traveling for work. Michigan also now limits teen driver passengers to one age 20 or younger non-family member, unless necessary for certain school activities.
While data from the Institute indicates that teen driver rates have declined substantially since 1996 — when states began implementing graduated driver license (GDL) programs — the decline could be greater.
GDL systems enable young drivers to build up their driving experience before obtaining complete driving privileges. Although GDL laws, programs, and restrictions vary by state, most include three stages:
- Learner Stage: Driving while supervised and ending with a driver test.
- Intermediate Stage: Restricted unsupervised driving when in high risk situations.
- Full Privilege Stage: Standard drivers license with full driving privileges.
States began enacting various components of graduated licensing in the mid-1990s. By the end of 2000, the majority of states (all but nine) had GDL laws. Today, while restrictions vary by state — all states have restrictions on teen drivers. All states except for two –Nevada and Vermont — have restrictions in place for teen nighttime driving.
States with the toughest GDL currently are:
New Jersey – minimum intermediate license age of 17
Pennsylvania – minimum of 65 supervised practice hours; nighttime driving restriction at 8 p.m. during intermediate stage
Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island – minimum permit age of 16
Idaho and South Carolina – nighttime driving restriction at 8 p.m. during intermediate stage
D.C. and 15 other states – ban on teen passengers
What can parents do to help keep their new teen driver safer on the road in light of these statistics and before tougher GDL are in place in all states? One solution is to install technology that exposes your teen’s driving habits. GPS tracker devices for teen drivers can be a newly minted teen driver’s parent’s best friend — especially when in the stage of the teen driving without supervision. There are a number of devices available that enable parents to locate their teen’s car in real-time, keep track of their teens speeding, set up acceptable travel routes (i.e. to school or work), and receive notices of a teen’s departure and arrival to a destination.
A GPS tracker device allows a concerned parent to ride shotgun, so to speak, without actually being in the car with their teen.
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