AAA Study Underscores Dangers, Impact of Teen Driving
Phoenix, Ariz., Feb. 27, 2009. The majority of people killed in teen driver crashes continue to be people other than teen drivers themselves, according to Teen Crashes: Everyone Is At Risk, an updated analysis of 10 years of crash data by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The analysis shows that nationally, about one-third of people killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 17 are teen drivers themselves, while nearly two-thirds are passengers, occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and other road users. In Arizona, that figure is higher, with nearly three-quarters of those killed in a teen-driver related crash being someone other than the teen driver.
“This analysis underscores the link between teen driver safety and the safety of everyone on the road,” said Linda Gorman, public affairs director for AAA Arizona. “When you consider that for every teen driver killed in a crash in Arizona, three other people die, the far reaching effects of this epidemic become that much more apparent.”
In Arizona, between 1998 and 2007, crashes involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers killed 556 people, of whom 162 (29.1%) were teen drivers themselves. The remaining 394 (70.9%) included 185 passengers of the 15- to 17-year-old drivers, 153 occupants of other vehicles operated by adult drivers, 56 non-motorists and others.
Nationally, between 1998 and 2007, crashes involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers killed 28,138 people, of whom 10,388 (36.9%) were teen drivers themselves. The remaining 17,750 (63.1%) deaths included 8,829 passengers of the teen drivers, 6,858 occupants of other vehicles operated by adult drivers, and 2,063 non-motorists and others.
A previous analysis in 2006 found that between 1995 and 2004, crashes involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers claimed the lives of 593 people in Arizona and 30,917 people nationwide. AAA points to the drop in both teen driver deaths and the larger drop in deaths of others during the last decade as evidence that improving teen driver safety benefits all road users.
“Over the last decade, many states have improved their teen licensing systems, and as a result we have seen reductions in teen driver deaths and even larger reductions in the number of other people killed on our roadways,” Gorman said. “The Teenage Driver Safety Act, which strengthened Arizona’s Graduated Driver Licensing law, went into effect July 2008. While its impact is not reflected in the data used in this analysis, components of the law, such as nighttime restrictions and passenger limitations, have been shown to reduce deaths among 16-year-old drivers by 38 percent in other states.”
AAA Arizona encourages parents to play the leading role in developing their teen driver by taking advantage of the following resources and discussing these tips with their teen before handing over the keys:
- Get involved. Attend AAA Arizona’s free, award-winning “Dare to Prepare” workshop for parents and their teens. The workshop will provide participants with critical information they need to know before teens take the wheel.
- Lead by example. Be a positive role model by exhibiting good driving skills and behavior such as obeying speed limits, being courteous to other drivers, and avoiding the use of electronic devices while driving.
- Utilize available resources and learn all you can about the process. AAA has a variety of resources to help you along the way. Visit www.teensatthewheel.com for statistics, information and advice for parents and soon-to-be teen drivers. You can find out about AAA’s driver training resources, including teenSMART, an insurance-savings supplemental resource. You’ll also find out how to subscribe to StartSmart, AAA’s free email newsletter for parents and teens.
- Selecting a quality driving school. Driving is a risky activity for teens and warrants professional instruction. Driving schools that feature cutting-edge curriculums, high degrees of interaction and professionally trained instructors are suggested. Parents should select a quality driving school for their teens’ driver training. AAA Arizona’s Approved Driving School Network recommends high-quality driving schools in the surrounding area.
- Using a parent-teen driving agreement. Having rules, conditions, restrictions and consequences of teens’ driving written down in advance establishes driving as a privilege and not something to be taken lightly or for granted. Parents and teens should work together to create a parent-teen driving agreement which establishes rules and consequences that they agree upon that extend beyond state laws. Parents can also implement a parent-to-parent driving agreement with the parents of their teen’s peers.
- Extensive practice driving. When it comes to driving, practice might not make perfect, but it can make for better teen drivers. As a supplement to formal driver education, supervised driving sessions with parents provide teens with opportunities to enhance learning, reinforce proper driving techniques and skills and receive constructive feedback from the people that care most about their safety and success. To learn more about products that can assist with these efforts, visit AAA Arizona’s Driver Training page.
- Choosing a safe vehicle. As the family member most likely to crash, a teen should drive the safest vehicle the family owns. Things to consider are vehicle type, size and safety technology. To learn about other factors that are important to consider when choosing your teen's first vehicle, visit http://www.aaaaz.com/news/articles/ChoosingTeensFirstVehicle.htm.
For a complete copy of Teen Crashes: Everyone is at Risk, visit http://www.aaaaz.com/news/research.htm.
AAA Arizona, the Arizona affiliate of AAA, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services to nearly 800,000 Arizona members. Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and motorists. Since its founding in 1927, AAA Arizona has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com.
###
|
