Initial Effects of Graduated Driver Licensing on 16-Year-Old Driver Crashes in North Carolina

Abstract

Motor vehicle crashes are the most common cause of death among teenagers in the United States. In 1998, 38% of deaths from all causes among teens 15 to 19 years of age resulted from motor vehicle crashes.¹ The bulk of the teen driver problem is concentrated among the youngest drivers. Among 16-year-old drivers, the crash rate per mile driven is 43% greater than for 17-year-olds, 2.7 times greater than for 18-year-olds, and 3.9 times that of 19- and 20-year-old drivers.² Moreover, while motor vehicle death rates per licensed driver among all drivers older than 17 years declined from 1976 to 1996, reflecting the effects of a variety of safety improvements, the per driver death rate among 16-year-olds increased considerably.³