- The number of 16- and 17-year-old drivers who died in crashes increased by 11 percent in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to a new study released on Thursday.
- The trend is noteworthy because if it continued in the second half of 2011, it would mark the end of eight straight years of cumulative declines in deaths for this age group.
- The uptick in deaths among teens may be attributed to the upturn in the economy, as well as a leveling off in benefits related to graduated driver licensing laws, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
WASHINGTON — The number of 16- and 17-year-old drivers who died in crashes increased by 11 percent in the first half of 2011 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to a new study released on Thursday.
The trend is noteworthy because if it continued for the second half of 2011, it would mark the end of eight straight years of cumulative declines in deaths for this age group. In comparison, total motor vehicle deaths declined 0.9 percent during the first six months of 2011, according to projections by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Governors Highway Safety Association conducted what it calls the first state-by-state look at teen driving fatalities in 2011. It said the increase in teen deaths "raises concerns." The study was released on the same day that the U.S. Department of Transportation issued new proposed distraction guidelines for automakers.
Total deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers increased to 211 in the first half of 2011 from 190 in the period a year earlier, the study said. Florida, Texas and North Carolina reported "significant increases" in teen driver deaths.
The uptick in deaths among teens may be attributed to the upturn in the economy, as well as a leveling off in benefits related to graduated driver licensing laws, the group said.
The nonprofit association is calling for the federal government to provide financial incentives to states to toughen teen driving laws. It is also calling for a ban on the use of cell phones and electronic devices while driving, along with limiting other teens in the car and limiting nighttime driving.
Inside Line says: A wake-up call for parents, police and legislators.
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disa says:
08:55 AM, 02/20/2012
"I believe the United States has far too relaxed standards for driving." +1
"To be honest, most of the distracted driving problems would be fixed if everybody was forced to drive a manual transmission vehicle." +1
My US driving test was 13 minutes long and consisted of 5 right hand turns. The car never went above 30mph, and I never did a single maneuver - No parallel parking, no reversing around a corner, no starting on a hill, no emergency braking, no three-point turn, nothing. Compared to what is required in the EU it is shocking and downright dangerous.
It also doesn't help that all the roads in the US are wide and straight. I challenge anyone to NOT get distracted driving an automatic (probably a large SUV or truck) at 30mph down a perfectly straight road.
Results like this annoy me because I think the speed limits in the US are way too low. they do not take into account the huge advances in automotive technology and only serve the purpose of generating income for the local police department. Getting speeders is easier than shooting fish in a barrel. EVERYONE is going over the limit, the only question is by how much...
says:
12:38 PM, 02/19/2012
The vast generalizations mentioned here are disappointing and untrue.
For instance ....
"All kids at this age are dumb, even if they are school smart."
This is so untrue. There are plenty of wise kids in this age group who listen to their parents, work a job, and obey the law. It's the 10% who don't who give the rest a bad name.
If everybody was a bad apple, all these kids would be in accidents constantly and that doesn't happen.
I'm a firm believe that the problem is not cell phones or texting specifically. Certainly texting is more dangerous than talking on a cellphone, but that's not the overall problem. The overall problem is DISTRACTED DRIVING. PERIOD. Too many people try to drive and do too many things while they're driving. You're in a car to get to your destination. Not to do business, not to catch up with your significant other.
To be honest, most of the distracted driving problems would be fixed if everybody was forced to drive a manual transmission vehicle. That would weed out the drivers who aren't coordinated, force drivers to be more alert, and make it a lot harder to be distracted while driving.
I believe the United States has far too relaxed standards for driving. People aren't even required to know basic car control skills in an emergency. That is just madness. If you live in Wisconsin like I do and your car's front tires start to lose grip while you're trying to make a corner in snowy conditions, what do you do? Well, if you are lucky like I was, you pull the ebrake and correct the understeer.
But would I have known that had it not been for years of racing simulators? Doubtful. I probably would have been in the guardrail. Literally - because that's where the car was headed at 25 mph because I couldn't slow down thanks to someone who was pushing me down the road in snowy / icey conditions. That's another problem here in Wisconsin. People drive too fast for conditions and force others to do so as well. That's just not cool.
I believe drivers need more training.
doctornun says:
03:36 PM, 02/17/2012
Uhm...why don't we just make a car that can only go say, the max speed limit instead of 400HP DEATH TRAPS...?
bestjinjo says:
01:49 PM, 02/17/2012
"Texting is like being legally intoxicated and it should be banned, or better yet, technologically
impossible to do in a moving vehicle."
I would argue it's worse. When a person is drunk, they can still focus on the road. When a person texts, for certain periods of time, they are eyes are completely off the road. That's the equivalent of driving with your eyes closed.
desmolicious says:
12:33 PM, 02/17/2012
"Dumb kid drivers who decides to txt while driving got what they were asking for. They chose their fate. End of discussion."
Not when it involves other people that they crash into.
Happened to me.
m6user says:
10:46 AM, 02/17/2012
This is another good example of the govt and other orgs using broad generalizations. "Oh my, it's all cell phone use". No, it's not. It's texting. People and teens have been TALKINJG on cell phones in cars for 15 years or more and the death rates have been declining. This is due to many things like safer cars, better instruction, curfew laws and other things. If cell phone use was so bad why didn't the rates still climb during this period? Because talking on a cell phone isn't much different that a lot of other distractions that we have normally like kids and passengers etc. TEXTING is the problem. Texting is a complete different animal than talking ona cell call especially if it's handsfree bluetooth. It requires one to constantly look away from the road to either type or read and in a lot of cases use both hands to type a text msg. Talking on a cell call IMO is like having one or two drinks. Sure, it's not the best thing and you are impaired to a slight degree. But it's nothing compared to being legally intoxicated. Texting is like being legally intoxicated and it should be banned, or better yet, technologically impossible to do in a moving vehicle.
ed124c says:
09:48 AM, 02/17/2012
All kids at this age are dumb, even if they are school smart. They don't understand the consequences of their actions. And the most important problem is that they all feel invincible. The ideas of death and dying just don't seem to apply to them.
So, we, as adults, need to protect and preserve them until they reach the age of 26* or more.
*26 is the age when, supposedly, young people rid themselves of their conviction that they will live forever. That is probably why auto insurance companies drop the premiums when customers hit 26.
openeyes1 says:
09:37 AM, 02/17/2012
Combine a teen's distracted driving with Mom and Dad's old SUV, and you get all the ingredients for a potential accident waiting to happen.
lzks says:
08:41 AM, 02/17/2012
Dumb kid drivers who decides to txt while driving got what they were asking for. They chose their fate. End of discussion.
aston_dbs says:
07:36 AM, 02/17/2012
blueguydotcom says: "211 out of 300+ million people? Time for the government to concentrate on statistically meaningful problems."
It's likely that this figure will continue to rise (quickly too).
I see more and more ignorant idi0tic drivers (not just teen) who are just too distracted.
Don't they realize that the accident caused WILL affect other people on the road?
Actually this morning, a young lady in her 'power suit', while driving a brand new (paper license plate) black MB E350, with a window down in light rain, smoking on right hand, and reading some kind of thick-folded-contract in her left hand...
And no... I'm not making it up...