AAA: Teens Driving Teens A Deadly Combination
Risky behaviors among 16- and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal
crashes increased when teen passengers were present according to a study
presented today by AAA and conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic
Safety. With motor vehicle crashes ranking as the leading cause of death
for teens, AAA is calling for greater parental involvement and stronger
graduated driver's licensing programs to promote road safety.
The new research, released as part of Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 14-20),
shows that the prevalence of risky behaviors generally grew for 16- and
17-year-old drivers as the number of teen passengers increased. Among
16- and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes:
- The prevalence of speeding increased from 30 percent to 44 percent and 48 percent with zero, two and three or more teen passengers, respectively.
- The prevalence of late-night driving (11 p.m. to 5 a.m.) increased from 17 percent to 22 percent and 28 percent with zero, two and three or more teen passengers, respectively.
- The prevalence of alcohol use increased from 13 percent to 17 percent and 18 percent with zero, two and three or more teen passengers, respectively.
"Mixing young drivers with teen passengers can have dangerous consequences," said AAA President & CEO Robert Darbelnet.
"AAA urges parents to set and consistently enforce family rules that
limit newly licensed teens from driving with young passengers."
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety analyzed data on fatal crashes that occurred in the United States
from 2005 through 2010. The report documents the prevalence of
passengers ages 13-19 in fatal crashes involving drivers age 16 and 17,
and examines the characteristics of those crashes according to age, sex
and number of teen passengers present. Researchers found that 9,578
drivers age 16 and 17 were involved in fatal crashes, and that 3,994 of
these included at least one teen passenger.
"Teen crashes remain a huge problem nationwide," said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger.
"Our past research clearly shows how young passengers substantially
increase a novice driver's risk of being in a fatal crash, and these new
findings underscore the need to refocus our efforts, to address the
problem, from state legislatures to parents."
AAA recommends that all states adopt and enforce a comprehensive
three-stage (learner's permit, intermediate/probationary license,
full/unrestricted license) graduated license system for novice drivers.
These programs should limit driving at night and driving with young
passengers, among other provisions designed to help novice drivers gain
the skills and experience associated with responsible driving behavior.
"Graduated driver licensing programs have been shown to greatly
reduce crashes, injuries and deaths for everyone on the road when they
limit new teen drivers to no more than one passenger," continued
Darbelnet. "Steps parents can take, such as setting and enforcing a
parent-teen driving agreement, can build on state laws to improve safety
by gradually easing teens into driving."
This study builds on a AAA Foundation report released in May that
shows how risk of death in a traffic crash for 16- and 17-year-old
drivers increases by 44 percent when carrying one passenger younger than
21, doubles with two and quadruples with three or more younger
passengers, compared with driving alone. A previous study by the AAA
Foundation found that potentially distracting loud conversation and
horseplay were substantially more common with multiple teenage
passengers in the vehicle than with siblings or adult passengers.
Teen drivers face a number of safety challenges including:
- Teenage drivers are involved in more crashes per mile than drivers of any other age group.
- Drivers aged 16 to 17 are involved in about seven times as many crashes per mile driven compared to drivers in their forties, fifties or sixties.
- Teenage drivers are overrepresented in crashes that result in the death of other people, such as their passengers, pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles.
AAA has a wide range of tools available at TeenDriving.AAA.com
to help parents simplify the learning-to-drive process including
parent-teen driving agreements, online webinars, licensing information
and free online information developed from a National Institutes of
Health program.
As North America's largest motoring
and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million
members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related
services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully
tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and
security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.
SOURCE AAA