Cooperative Living September 2014 - 22

HEALTHY TAKE
Parents Are Key to Improving
Teen Driving Statistics
T
he National Center for
Health Statistics continues
to find that motor vehicle
crashes are the leading cause of
death among those ages 15 to
20. In May 2012, The American
Auto Association's Foundation
for Traffic Safety released a
report that showed the risk of
16- or 17-year-old drivers being
killed in a crash increases with
each additional teenage passenger
in the vehicle. The risk
increases 44 percent with one
passenger; doubles with two
passengers, and quadruples
with three or more passengers.
The study analyzed crash data
and the number of miles driven
by 16- and 17-year-olds.
Here are some more sobering teen
driving statistics from the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety:
* In 2011, 59 percent of the deaths of
teenage passengers occurred in vehicles
driven by another teenager. Among passenger
deaths of all ages, 16 percent
occurred when a teenager was driving.
* 53 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths
among teenagers occurred on Friday,
Saturday or Sunday and most crashes
occurred between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m.
* 11 percent of all drivers 15 to19 years
old who were involved in fatal crashes
were distracted at the time. Among the
distracted drivers 15 to 19 years old, 21
percent were distracted by the use of
cellphones at the time of the crash.
* 32 percent of drivers ages15 to 20 who
were killed in motor vehicle crashes had
been drinking alcohol and 26 percent had
blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher.
* Two out of every three teenagers killed in
crashes in 2011 were males, with teen
drivers having crash rates three times those
of drivers 20 and older.
* 39 percent of male drivers ages 15 to 20
who were involved in fatal crashes were
speeding at the time of the crash.
20
Recent studies also found that states
with strong teen-driving laws have
substantially lower fatal crash and
insurance claim rates. Here's a summary
of current Virginia laws:
* Teens must be a minimum of 15 years and
six months of age to apply for a
Commonwealth of Virginia learner's
permit that requires passing a two-part
knowledge test and vision screening.
* Drivers under the age of 19 must prove
successful completion of a Virginiaapproved
driver education program
before being issued a learner's permit.
In addition, the parent or legal guardian
of a teen driver under age 18 must
certify that the learner's-permit applicant
has completed 45 hours of practice driving,
with 15 of the 45 hours completed
after sunset.
* Drivers under the age of 19 who hold a
learner's permit may only drive when
accompanied by a licensed driver who is
a minimum of 21 years of age, unless
accompanied by a licensed driver18 years
of age or older who is also an immediate
family member. The responsible license
holder must be seated next to the learner'spermit
holder at all times while driving.
* Teen drivers under the age of
18 who hold a learner's permit
are subject to Virginia curfew
restrictions and may not drive
between the hours of midnight
and 4 a.m. unless they are driving
to or from a school-sanctioned
event or the circumstances
involve an emergency. In addition,
permit holders under the
age of 18 may only drive with
one passenger under the age
of 18 who is not an immediate
family member.
* At no time may a driver under
the age of 18 use a cellphone or
any other electronic communication
device while driving. This
includes text messaging and
does not allow an exception for
hands-free devices.
* Every application for a driver's license
or a learner's permit submitted by a
person less than 18 years old and
attending a public school in the
Commonwealth shall be accompanied
by a document, signed by the applicant's
parent or legal guardian, authorizing
the principal, or his designee, of
the school attended by the applicant to
notify the DMV when the applicant has
had 10 or more unexcused absences
from school on consecutive school
days.
* After receiving a learner's permit, teen
drivers cannot apply for a Virginia
driver's license until they have had
the learner's permit for a minimum of
9 months or until they turn 19. The
earliest a teen driver can apply for
a Virginia driver's license is at 16
years and 3 months of age and
applicants under 18 must have written
consent from their parent or legal
guardian. 
Sources: National Center for Health
Statistics, www.cdc.gov/nchs; The Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety, www.iihs.org;
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety,
www.aaafoundation.org
Cooperative Living/September 2014
JUPITERIMAGES/STOCKBYTE/THINKSTOCK
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs http://www.iihs.org http://www.aaafoundation.org
Cooperative Living September 2014

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