Teen Driver Safety and Graduated Driver Licensing: A 50State Perspective

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Teen Driver Safety and Graduated Driver
Licensing A 50-State Perspective

• Washington State Teen Driving Symposium
• September 10, 2007
• Justin McNaull
• AAA

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Reducing Teen Crashes Means . . .

• Changing teen behavior
• Changing parent behavior
• Changing governments role
• Changing societal expectations

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Many Helping Hands . . .

• Government
• Private sector
• Safety groups
• Health care
• Driver training
• Community groups/advocates

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Some Spending Significant Money
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. . . Pursuing Many Approaches

• Graduated Driver Licensing
• Driver education
• Advanced driver training
• Parent involvement
• Teen-to-teen outreach
• Technology

WHAT DOES RESEARCH SHOW WORKS?
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Graduated Driver Licensing

• Reduces . . .
• Total driving
• High risk driving
• Works because . . .
• Some teens are compliant
• Parents need guidance
• Many parents need reinforcement
• Parents are the primary enforcers, but primary
  enforcement still desirable

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1997 States with GDL
(D.C.)
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2005 States with GDL
(D.C.)
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GDL Passenger and Night Restrictions(Sept. 2007)
(D.C.)
Passenger Restrictions Only (1)
Night Restrictions Only (7)
Both Passenger Night Restrictions (38 DC)
Neither (4)
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GDL Benefit of Adding Components

• AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety/Johns Hopkins
  Nationwide Evaluation of GDL report
• Looked at 1994-2004 fatality and injury crash
  data nationwide at state level and looked for
  changes based on number of GDL components

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GDL Benefit of Adding Components

• Components used
• 16 for learners permit
• 6-month minimum hold for learner
• 16 and 6 months for intermediate lic
• 6-month minimum hold for intermediate
• No more than 1 passenger for intermediate
• Night limit starts no later than 10 p.m.
• At least 30 hours certified practice driving

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GDL Benefit of Adding Components

• States with 5 or more components
• Fatal crash involvement for 16-year olds dropped
  38
• Injury crashes dropped 40
• States with fewer components saw lesser
  reductions
• Message 1 Greater injury and fatality reduction
  by adding components
• Message 2 Better components yield greater
  reductions

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Comprehensive GDL States (States with 5 or more
of 7 key GDL components)
(D.C.)
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AAAs GDL Guidelines

• 16 for learners permit
• 6-month minimum hold for learner
• 16 and 6 months for intermediate license
• 6-month minimum hold for intermediate
• No more than 1 passenger for intermediate
• Night limit starts no later than 10 p.m.
• At least 50 hours certified practice driving

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GDLReality Check

• Deficient in 42 states
• Deficient in 41 states D.C.
• Deficient in 19 states D.C.
• Deficient in 32 states

• GDL (Overall)
• Nighttime Restrictions
• Passenger Limits
• Certified Driving

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Maximum Passengers (Williams, 2007)
10 states relax their passenger limits with time
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Night Driving Restriction Start Time (Williams,
2007)
Five states vary based on day of week, time of
year. Table shows earlier time.
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Learner Stage Mandatory Holding Period
(Williams, 2007)
Two states have lesser requirements for driver
education graduates
Wyoming has a 10-day required holding period
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Learner Stage Certified Driving Hours (Williams,
2007)
Six states reduce hours for driver ed graduates
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GDL Bills 2007
New Laws in 2007
Legislation in 2007
No significant legislation
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Teen Cell Phone Bans August 2007
(D.C.)
States with Teen Cell Phone Bans Pre-2005
Laws passed in 2005 (7 States D.C.)
Laws passed in 2006-07
Bills in 2007
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Legislative Lessons From Other States (2006-07)

• Broad GDL-focused improvement Arizona,
  Nebraska, Kentucky
• Broad improvement with much process Illinois,
  Massachusetts
• Smaller GDL tweaks Idaho, Nevada, Virginia,
  Missouri, Ohio
• Bills that didnt pass Arkansas, Indiana,
  Kansas, Minnesota, Vermont

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AAA GDL Lobbying Targets
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Other Efforts

• Other states (NJ Task Force, Va. Driver Ed Study
  Group)
• Kansas evaluation of teen driving and rural
  communities
• Novice stickers
• Driver education

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For More Information

• AAA Washington
• www.aaa.com/publicaffairs
• www.aaafoundation.org