Facts About Teen Driving

Motor vehicle crashes are the #1 killer of American teens.

In 2007, nearly 3,200 young drivers (ages 15-20) were killed in motor vehicle crashes.

Crashes involving young drivers also claimed the lives of nearly 4,500 other people in 2007 alone:

• More than 2,000 passengers riding with young drivers were killed
• More than 1,800 people in other vehicles were killed
• More than 600 pedestrians, bicyclists, and other non-occupants were killed

New teen drivers are more likely to crash than other drivers.

• Teen drivers ages 16 to 19 have a fatality rate four times the rate of drivers ages 25 to 69. Sixteen-year-old drivers have a crash rate three times more than 17-year-olds, 5 times greater than 18-year-olds, and two times that of 85-year-olds.*

Risky behavior lead to crashes, injuries, and deaths.

• In 2007, 26% of young drivers killed in crashes had blood alcohol concentrations of .08 or higher.*
• In 2007, 20.5% of young drivers involved in fatal crashes had previous speeding convictions.*

Crashes invovling young drivers are costly to society.

• The estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes involving drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 was $40.8 billion in the United States in 2002 alone.*

When do teens in other countries get an unrestricted driver license?

*Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.