Teen Driver Crashes; Texas Data Show Teens 15-17 Are 81% Over-Represented in Fatal Crashes

HOUSTON--Jan. 1, 20068, 2006--When teen drivers are involved in a fatal crash, someone else is usually the victim, according to a recent analysis of 10 years of crash data by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. An AAA Texas analysis of the Texas data shows that teens 15-17 years of age were 81% over-represented fatal crashes given their rate of licensure.

The new AAA Foundation study shows that, nationwide, young novice drivers comprise slightly more than one-third of all the fatalities in crashes in which they are involved. The remaining two-thirds of those killed are other vehicle users and pedestrians.

In Texas, according to the AAA Foundation analysis, 2,766 lives were lost in crashes involving young novice drivers from 1995-2004; this included 953 drivers 15-17 years old (34.5%), 886 passengers (32%), 705 occupants of vehicles operated by drivers at least 18 years of age (25.5%), and 217 non-motorists (7.8%).

"It's clear from this analysis that young drivers' lack of experience on the road is a major traffic safety issue," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas.

The AAA Foundation analysis shows that from 1995 through 2004 crashes involving 15-, 16-, and 17-year-old drivers claimed the lives of 30,917 people nationwide, of which only 11,177 (36.2%) were the teen drivers themselves. The remaining 19,740 (63.6%) included 9,847 passengers of the teen drivers, 7,477 occupants of other vehicles operated by drivers at least 18 years of age, 2,323 non-motorists.

Yet another indication of the importance of reducing teen crashes is that young drivers are significantly over-represented in crashes given their rates of licensure. An AAA Texas analysis of Texas data for 1996-2001 (all the years for which data are available) shows that teens 15-17 made up 2.69% of all Texas drivers; they were, however, the driver in all 4.86% fatal crashes. "That is far more than we would expect given their rate of licensure," said Rougeau.

"The tragedy of teen driver crashes goes well beyond the teen driver and their teen passengers," said Rougeau. "Teens too often put others at risk, and when crashes involve family members--younger brothers or sisters--the teen and the entire family can suffer emotional trauma that will last a lifetime," she said. "It's also important to remember that while these statistics represent fatalities, there are many crashes that don't result in death, but do result in severe physical or mental injury or trauma to teen motorists and others."

"It's also another indication why it's so important for parents to limit teens from being exposed to dangerous driving conditions and also to manage their driving experience," said Rougeau.

In an effort to increase teen driver safety, Texas' Graduated Driver License system became law in 2002. The law requires teen drivers under age 18 to hold an instructional permit for six months before being allowed to drive between midnight and 5 a.m. A teen may not drive with more than one passenger unless accompanied by a licensed driver at least age 21. And, in 2005, state lawmakers strengthened the Texas GDL by passing a bill that prohibited teens with an instructional permit from talking on a cell phone while driving.

AAA Texas says comprehensive GDL laws are the best way to increase safety not just for teen drivers but for all road users and also believes that parents play a critical role in enforcing restrictions.

"For safety's sake, parents and teens need to adhere to the GDL law's restrictions but they also need to establish strict driving rules for their teens based on their maturity and driving experience, where, with whom and when they drive, and under what weather and road conditions. These rules can cover both the time period when teens fall under GDL and also after," said Rougeau. "For example, teens don't have the experience to safely transport any passengers during their first year of driving, and even though exceptions to the law exist for family members, that doesn't mean significant risk doesn't exist when transporting siblings or others.

"Be vigilant about restricting your children from riding with a first-year teen driver. It's tempting to have different options for getting kids and teens to and from school, a job, sports practices and other events, but the risks are high," said Rougeau. "Parents who understand the risks should be more willing to personally drive children until teens obtain their full licenses or have gained enough driving experience to make them feel comfortable with transporting others."

AAA-sponsored Graduated Driver License laws now exist in all 50 states with the passage of laws in Hawaii, Montana and Wyoming last year.

The national teen driver crash data analysis was conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The Foundation analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) from 1995 through 2004, identifying and describing all fatal crashes involving 15-17-year-old drivers of passenger vehicles.