New York, NY, Dec. 6, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 81,000 people were killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 20 in the decade from 2000 to 2009, and teenage driving accidents are the leading cause of teen deaths nationwide.
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More than 81,000 people were killed in crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 20 in the decade from 2000 to 2009, and teenage driving accidents are the leading cause of teen deaths nationwide.
The Allstate Foundation's new License to Save Report, developed in conjunction with the National Safety Council, shows that if all states implemented comprehensive graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws, thousands of lives could be saved. Further, if all 50 states were to enact comprehensive GDL laws, it could generate savings of several billion dollars per year. The report findings are timely, as Congress readies to consider reauthorization of highway and infrastructure spending - legislation that historically has included bold public health and safety measures.
Novice teenage drivers are the most likely drivers to have car accidents. In fact, 16-year-old drivers have crash rates that are two times greater than 18- to 19-year-old drivers and four times that of older drivers. GDL laws can help new drivers gain experience under supervised and less risky conditions. The most comprehensive laws include nighttime driving restrictions, passenger limits, texting bans and mandatory behind-the-wheel driving time. In states that have enacted strong GDL laws, the incidence of teenage driving-related deaths has dropped by an astounding 40 percent.