Governors Highway Safety Association
The States' Voice on Highway Safety

Issue Overview

Teen and new driver inexperience, coupled with immaturity, often results in risk-taking behaviors such as speeding, alcohol use and not wearing a seat belt — all of which contribute to an increased death rate. 

Young drivers are nearly four times more likely to be involved in a fatal traffic crash than their older counterparts. Despite that disparity, research conducted by GHSA found that crash and fatality rates for drivers under 21 have improved drastically between 2002 and 2021 – more so than for other drivers (Young Drivers and Traffic Fatalities: 20 Years of Progress on the Road to Zero, GHSA).

The analysis found that fatal crashes involving a young driver fell 38%, while they increased nearly 8% for drivers 21 and older. At the same time, deaths of young drivers fell about 45%, compared to an 11% increase in fatalities for older drivers. Young people are less likely to drive today than they were 20 years ago, but this accounts for only a small portion of the large decreases.

Parental Involvement

Parents play a key role in helping teens become good drivers. Parents should not rely solely on driver education classes to teach good driving habits and should restrict night driving, restrict the numbers of passengers riding with their teen, supervise practice driving, always require use of seat belts and choose vehicles for safety, not image. Parents can also set a good example by practicing safe driving themselves.

Ford Driving Skills for Life

To supplement driver education, GHSA and Ford Philanthropy developed Ford Driving Skills for Life (Ford DSFL), an innovative program that teaches newly licensed teens the necessary skills for safe driving beyond what they learn in standard driver education programs, creating safer roadways for not only themselves but everyone else on the road.

GHSA Policy

Publication

State Laws Overview

To keep teen drivers safer on the roads, all states have enacted Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws that phase in driving privileges. GDL programs includes three stages:

  • Learner Stage: supervised driving, cumulating with a driving test;
  • Intermediate Stage: limiting unsupervised driving in high risk situations; and
  • Full Privilege Stage: a standard driver's license.

Research has shown that significant reductions in deaths have been associated with GDL laws that included age requirements, a waiting period of at least three months before the intermediate stage, a restriction on nighttime driving, 30 or more hours of supervised driving and a restriction on carrying passengers or the number and age of passengers carried.

During the 1990s, many states began enacting GDL laws. The programs and types of restrictions vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:

  • Cell Phones/Texting: 37 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice drivers.
  • Nighttime Driving Restriction: All states except Vermont restrict nighttime driving during the intermediate stage.
  • Passenger Restriction: 47 states and D.C. restrict the number of passengers during the intermediate stage.
  • Novice Driver Decal: New Jersey is the only state with a measure requiring those younger than 21 without full-privilege licenses to display a decal on their vehicle identifying them as new drivers.

NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on GDL laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office (SHSO).

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and SHSOs.

Last updated in May 2024. Laws last reviewed by SHSOs in March 2024.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Facts & Figures

Over the past two decades, deaths of young drivers fell about 45%, while they increased 11% for drivers 21 and older.

Young and older driver fatalities change significantly between 2002 and 2021

Related Resources

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