Drivers Aged 16 or 17 Years Involved in Fatal Crashes --- United States, 2004--2008

Drivers Aged 16 or 17 Years Involved in Fatal Crashes --- United States, 2004--2008
Weekly
October 22, 2010 / 59(41);1329-1334

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens in the United States, accounting for approximately one third of deaths in this age group (1). Crash risk is highest during the first years of independent driving (2). To characterize trends in fatal crashes involving drivers aged 16 or 17 years, CDC analyzed data from the Fatality Analysis Report System (FARS) for 2004--2008. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, during 2004--2008, a total of 9,644 passenger vehicle drivers aged 16 or 17 years were involved in fatal crashes. During that period, the annual population-based rate for drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes declined 38%, from 27.1 per 100,000 population in 2004 to 16.7 in 2008. By state, 5-year annualized rates for drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes ranged from 9.7 per 100,000 population in New Jersey and New York to 59.6 in Wyoming. To further reduce fatal crashes involving young drivers, states should periodically reexamine and update graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs, and communities should vigorously enforce laws on minimum legal drinking age, blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and safety belt use, all of which can reduce the number of fatal crashes among young drivers.

FARS is a census of fatal traffic crashes in the United States maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For this study, records of drivers involved in fatal crashes during 2004--2008 were examined. A fatal crash was defined as one in which at least one vehicle occupant or nonoccupant (e.g., bicyclist or pedestrian) involved in the crash died within 30 days of the crash. Analyses were restricted to drivers of passenger vehicles (i.e., automobiles, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and vans). Of the 10,048 drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes, 9,644 (96%) drove passenger vehicles. U.S. census population estimates for persons aged 16 or 17 years and persons aged ≥18 years were used to calculate rates of fatal crash involvement. To examine state-specific rates for drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes, 2004--2008 crash data and census data were aggregated separately, and an annualized rate was calculated for each state. The annualized rates then were compared with 2008 state-specific fatality rates for all crashes involving passenger vehicles.

During 2004--2008, a total of 9,644 drivers aged 16 or 17 years were involved in 9,494 fatal crashes. A total of 4,705 (50%) crashes involved one vehicle; 3,976 (42%) involved two vehicles; and 813 (8%) involved three or more vehicles. A total of 8,274 (87%) crashes resulted in one fatality, 986 (10%) resulted in two fatalities, and 234 (3%) resulted in three or more fatalities.

Of the 11,019 persons who died in these crashes, 4,071 (37%) were drivers aged 16 or 17 years; 3,428 (31%) were passengers of those drivers; 1,987 (18%) were drivers of other vehicles (aged ≥18 years, aged <16 years, and of unknown age); and 805 (7.3%) were passengers of those other drivers. Another 728 (6.7%) persons were other road users (e.g., bicyclists or pedestrians).

A total of 6,280 (65%) drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes were male; 3,429 (36%) of drivers in the age group were reported speeding at the time of the crash. Of the 4,459 (46%) whose BAC levels were known, 3,512 (79%) had zero BAC. Of the 947 drivers with a positive BAC, levels ranged from 0.01 g/dL to 0.55 g/dL, with a median of 0.11 g/dL; 678 (72%) of these drivers had a BAC of ≥0.08 g/dL, above the legal limit for drivers aged ≥21 years. Drivers aged <21 years, who cannot purchase alcohol legally, are subject to lower BAC limits in every state (i.e., >0.00 g/dL, ≥0.01 g/dL, or ≥0.02 g/dL, depending on the state).

From 2004 to 2008, the annual number of drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes decreased 36%, from 2,230 to 1,437 (Table 1). Continuing a general decline that began in 1996 (Figure), the population-based rate for drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes decreased 38%, from 27.1 per 100,000 population in 2004 to 16.7 in 2008 (Table 1). During 2004--2008, year-to-year decreases in the rate ranged from 5% from 2005 to 2006 to 23% from 2007 to 2008. In comparison, the rate for drivers aged ≥18 years involved in fatal crashes declined 20%, from 20.5 per 100,000 population in 2004 to 16.3 per 100,000 in 2008. Year-to-year declines in the rate of fatal crash involvement for drivers aged ≥18 years ranged from <1% from 2004 to 2005 to 12% from 2007 to 2008 (Table 1).

Among states, the 5-year annualized rate for drivers aged 16 or 17 years involved in fatal crashes ranged from 9.7 per 100,000 population in New York and New Jersey to 59.6 in Wyoming (Table 2). These state-specific rates correlated strongly with 2008 state-specific fatality rates from all crashes involving passenger vehicles (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.8) (Table 2).

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Drivers Aged 16 or 17 Years Involved in Fatal Crashes --- United States, 2004--2008