AAA Foundation study shows jurisdictions with night-time and passenger restrictions have 20 percent lower death and injury crash rate for 16-year-old drivers

July and August are deadliest months for 16-and 17-year-old drivers, according to AAA and the Ohio Teen Driver Coalition

INDEPENDENCE, June 23rd - Death and injury crash rates for 16-year-old drivers were 20 percent lower in a state with night-time and passenger restrictions than in a comparison jurisdiction that lacked these building blocks of safer teen driving, according to a study released today by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In addition, the study also showed that twice as many crash-free teens reported never having violated their state’s passenger restriction provision compared to teens that had crashed.

The findings add additional evidence that Ohio Substitute House Bill 343, which would add a passenger limitation and increase the night-time driving limits for 16- and 17-year-old drivers, is a strong step to improve Ohio’s graduated driver licensing laws.

Overall compliance with provisions found in state GDL laws, adherence to traffic laws and regulations, and parental involvement were found to be the differentiating factors between crash-free and crash-involved teen drivers.

“Teens who obey traffic rules and regulations, follow GDL regulations, and have actively involved parents are much less likely to crash,” said Brian Newbacher, director of public affairs for AAA East Central. “Just think how many lives we could save with the combination of the right laws and parental involvement.”

The study found that compliance with passenger restrictions was especially problematic, and teens involved in crashes were more likely than crash-free teens to report more frequent violations. For example, 30 percent of crash-free teens, but only 16 percent of crash-involved teens, reported never violating their jurisdiction’s passenger restriction during their first 6 months in the intermediate stage of GDL, and nearly half of crash-involved teens reported violating the passenger restriction “more than a few times.”
Thirty-three percent of crash-involved teens reported having received a ticket, as compared to only 13 percent of crash-free teens. Also, teens who had not been involved in crashes reported higher levels of parental monitoring, relative to their counterparts who had been involved in crashes.

“The summer months can be particularly deadly for teen drivers, said Newbacher. “Our analysis of crash data shows that July and August are the deadliest months of the year for 16- and 17-year-old drivers. Summer vacation for teens often means unstructured schedules, less guidance from mom and dad, and more exposure to crashes. Enforcing safe driving rules that include passenger and night-time limits is essential in keeping your teen and others safe on the road.”

Crash deaths for 16-and 17-year old drivers average nearly 20 percent higher in July and August than in the other months of the year, according to a AAA Foundation analysis of federal crash data. From 1995 through 2004, an average of 104 16- and 17-year old drivers died during July and August. The average monthly death toll during the 10-year period was about 87 young people.

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for teenagers, and government data shows that 16-year-olds are involved in more than 5 times as many fatal crashes per mile driven as adults in their 30s, 40s or 50s.

According to the Foundation, nearly half of 16- and 17- year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes were carrying at least one passenger under age 21 and no passengers age 21 or older. Over one third of deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m, despite the fact that there are fewer teens on the road during those hours.

In Ohio, Substitute House Bill 343 passed the Ohio House of Representatives, 90-2, on May 24.

Sub HB 343 will proceed next to the Senate Transportation Committee, chaired by Sen. Jeffry Armbruster, R-North Ridgeville. The measure no longer changes the age at which a learner’s permit can be obtained (15 ½) but contains important improvements to Ohio’s Graduated Driver Licensing law, including:

No more than one non-family member may be a passenger in a vehicle driven by a 16-17 year old (probationary license holder) unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Probationary driver’s license holders 16-17 years of age would be prohibited from driving a motor vehicle between midnight and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian (except for work or during an emergency).
An increased penalty for 16 year-olds who receive a moving violation.

Ohio lost 1,131 16- and 17-year-old drivers, passengers and other people in car crashes from 1995-2004.

To assist parents in guiding their new drivers, AAA East Central will be working with the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicle office to make crucial information about teen driver safety more readily accessible for parents and teens on the state DMV website. AAA has developed model language specifically designed for state DMV websites to help parents understand the teen crash problem and their role in turning their teens into safe adult drivers. This model language can be found at www.aaa.com/publicaffairs. AAA produced the web content after a survey of state DMV sites revealed that many fall short on basic content helpful for parents in developing their young drivers.

The AAA Foundation offers an interactive and engaging DVD for teens called Driver-ZED™, which puts users through 100 driving scenarios allowing them to experience conditions it could take several years to encounter on the road. Also included is supplemental information to aid parents in the process. Visit www.driverzed.org to learn more or contact Brian Newbacher at 216/606-6701.

For the AAA Foundation study, the Traffic Injury Research Foundation compared crash rates and crash patterns of teenage drivers in one jurisdiction with night-time and passengers restrictions during the intermediate stage of GDL to those in another jurisdiction whose GDL program did not include such restrictions. TIRF also surveyed a random sample of 1,000 teens, half of whom were crash-free and half were crash-involved. The characteristics of a sample of crash-free and crash-involved teens and their parents were also compared and contrasted using a telephone survey.

The Ohio Teen Driver Coalition, which is supporting Sub HB 343, includes Advocates for Highway & Auto Safety; Akron Children’s Hospital; Association of Ohio Health Commissioners; Caring Ladies Increasing Community Knowledge (CLICK); Columbus Children’s Hospital; DaimlerChrysler Corporation; Ohio Children’s Hospital Association; the National Safety Council, Central Ohio and Youngstown Chapters; Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Ohio Chapter; Ohio Conference of AAA Clubs; the Ohio Department of Public Safety; the Ohio Insurance Institute; Ohio State Highway Patrol; Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital of Cleveland; Think First Injury Prevention; Police Officer’s Safety Council of Summit County, and the Tri-State Trauma Coalition.

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