Carrying Passengers as a Risk Factor for Crashes Fatal to 16- and 17-Year-Old Drivers

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Abstract
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States, accounting for 36% of all deaths of persons aged 15 to 19 years.1 The fatal crash rate per million miles for 16-year-old drivers is more than 7 times the rate for drivers aged 30 to 59 years.2 Nearly the same number of deaths occur among teenaged passengers as teenaged drivers: in 1993, two thirds of the deaths of passengers aged 13 to 19 years occurred when teenagers were driving.3 In recent years, increased attention has been given to graduated licensing systems. The basic premise of these systems is that beginning drivers need to earn a full license step-by-step. Three stages—a supervised learner's period, an intermediate license, and a full-privilege driver's license—are the central framework for graduated licensing systems. During the learner's period, beginning drivers can drive only under supervision. For the intermediate period, restrictions vary widely by state in the United States and may include restrictions on nighttime driving and carrying passengers.4