Young Drivers and Crash Fatality Rates

 Posted on January 17, 2019 in Car Accidents

When children grow up, many of them are excited to receive their driver’s license. To them, it represents a sense of freedom and exploration they have not had before. Finally being able to go where they want when they want is something many children look forward to for quite some time. However, parents may view teens driving a little differently. Parents may worry about their children driving for a variety of reasons, including their safety. Below we discuss some statistics regarding teen drivers and their likelihood to be involved in a crash or incident.

Statistics on Fatalities

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released a sheet of statistics regarding “young drivers.” They classify “young drivers” as those between the ages of 15 and 20. There were 221.7 million drivers with licenses in the US in 2016. Of those, young drivers were 12.1 million or 5.4%. The good news is that total fatalities in vehicle collisions with young drivers have declined from 2007-2016. During that time period deaths among young drivers went down by 40%, fatalities for passengers with young drivers declined by 50%, and fatalities of occupants of other vehicles involved in a crash with a young driver went down by 27%. However, over the last two years of that data period, 2015 and 2016, there was an increase or no change in those same statistics.

The involvement of young drivers in fatal crashes has also decreased in the 2007-2016 time period, by 36%. Nine percent of fatal crashes involved young drivers, but young drivers are 5.4% of all drivers with licenses, so there is a discrepancy in the rate in which young drivers are being involved in fatal car accidents. The statistics also indicate that male drivers who are young are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes compared to females in the same age group.

Usage of Seat Belts

It may be beneficial to also look at the prevalence of seat belt usage within the young driver population. In the statistics presented by the NHTSA, it was not possible to be certain on whether or not all the young drivers were restrained. However, of the crashes where there was certainty, 47% of the young drivers who passed away were unrestrained, and 46% of all drivers who died were unrestrained.

Contact an Understanding Bloomingdale Car Crash Lawyer

Driving a car is dangerous, no matter who you are. People from all over the age spectrum are in danger of a car collision when driving. It is important to know that if you are involved in a collision and wish to pursue damages you can contact a caring DuPage County personal injury attorney. The lawyers at The Law Offices of David W. Clark, P.C. can help you with your personal injury case. For a free consultation, call us today at 630-665-5678.

Source:

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812498