Teen crashes more likely to kill others

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The majority of people killed in teen driver crashes continue to be people other than teen drivers themselves, according to an updated analysis of 10 years of crash data by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

The analysis shows that about one-third of people killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 17 are teen drivers themselves. Nearly two-thirds are passengers, occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.

“For every teen driver killed in a crash, nearly two other people are also killed,” said Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA Western and Central New York.  “This link underscores the relationship between teen driver safety and the safety of everyone on the road.”

Between 1998 and 2007, crashes in the United States involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers killed a total of 28,138 people, with 36.9 percent of those fatalities being the teen drivers themselves.  The remaining 63 percent of deaths included passengers of teen drivers, occupants of other vehicles operated by adult drivers, non-motorists and others.  A previous analysis found that between 1995 and 2004, crashes involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers claimed the lives of 30,917 people.

In New York State, between 1998 and 2007, crashes involving young drivers yielded 794 fatalities, with 35.6 percent (283) of those deaths being the teen drivers themselves.  Traffic fatalities involving teen drivers also resulted in the deaths of 274 passengers (34.5 percent), 169 occupants of another vehicle operated by adult drivers (21.3 percent), and 68 non-motorists (8.6 percent).

“Young drivers face an array of potentially deadly challenges at the wheel,” said Mike Formanowicz, Manager of Driver Programs for AAA Western and Central New York. “Parents and teens need to understand the serious responsibility of driving and the risks and consequences involved.”

AAA Western and Central New York is inviting local parents and teens to two free teen driving seminars at the AAA Orchard Park Travel and Insurance Center, 3475 Amelia Drive, Quaker Crossing, Orchard Park, N.Y. 14127, on Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.; and the AAA Amherst Travel and Insurance Center, 100 International Drive, Williamsville, NY, 14221, on Sunday, March 22, 2009 at 1:00 p.m.

AAA experts will be on hand to guide parents and teens through the licensing process, helping them to better understand DMV paperwork, requirements for road testing, and graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws in New York State.  Driver training and education, driver distractions, rules of the road, and insurance requirements for new teen drivers will also be addressed.

AAA points to the drop in both teen driver deaths and the larger drop in deaths of others during the last decade as evidence that improving teen driver safety benefits all road users. 

"Although we have seen reductions in teen driver deaths and even larger reductions in the number of other people killed, there is still much work to do in keeping all roadway users safe,” added Chestnut.  “Our ongoing efforts to improve teen driver safety will include strengthening the graduated driver licensing system in New York State.”

In September of 2003, New York State enacted a graduated driver licensing system.  AAA is now calling for enhancements to that system:  passenger limits to no more than one peer passenger during the first six months of solo driving; the banning of wireless devices for teens while driving; and mandatory in-car practice to be increased from 20 hours to 30-50 hours of certified, supervised driving.

To register for AAA’s free seminar or for more information, please call 1-800-836-2582, log onto www.AAA.com or visit any Western New York AAA Travel and Insurance Center.

The complete analysis entitled “Teen Crashes – Everyone is at Risk” is available by visiting www.AAA.com/media. 

As Upstate New York’s largest member services organization, AAA provides nearly 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive related services.  Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. Visit AAA at www.AAA.com.