Teen Driving Statistics
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-to-20 year olds.
- Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely than older drivers to crash.
- The average 16-year-old soccer player has had 1,500 hours of coaching, while most states require only 50 hours of behind-the-wheel coaching for a 16-year-old to get a driver’s license.
- In 2008, half of teen deaths from motor vehicle crashes occurred between 3 p.m. and midnight, and 56% occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
- The presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of teen drivers, and the risk increases with the number of teen passengers.
- Nearly 5,000 U.S. teens die each year in traffic accidents.
- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among 15-to-20-year-olds.
- Mile for mile, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as all other drivers.
- Teenage drivers and passengers are among those least likely to wear their seat belts.
- A study of about 800 serious crashes involving teen drivers found that inexperience and distraction, not reckless driving or alcohol, caused the collisions. 76% of the crashes were due to a critical teen driving error.
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