|
The
majority of people killed in teen driver crashes are
people other than the teen driver themselves, according
to a recent analysis of 10 years of crash data by the
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The new analysis shows that young novice drivers comprise
slightly more than 33 percent of all the fatalities in
crashes in which they are involved; whereas nearly 66 percent
of those killed are other vehicle users and pedestrians.
AAA says these statistics provide new urgency to its
advocacy efforts to strengthen graduated licensing laws
(GDL).
"It's clear from this analysis that we have to
approach the issue of teen driver safety in a different
way," said Robert L. Darbelnet, AAA President.
"We need to focus on the effects teen driver crashes
have on others in addition to the teen drivers themselves."
This analysis shows that between 1995 and 2004 crashes
involving 15-, 16- and 17-year-old drivers claimed the
lives of 30,917 people nationwide, of which 11,177 (36.2 percent)
were the teen drivers themselves. The remaining 19,740
(63.6 percent) included 9,847 passengers of the 15-17-year-old
drivers, 7,477 occupants of other vehicles operated
by drivers at least 18 years of age, 2,323 non-motorists
and 93 others/unknowns.
"The tragedy of teen driver crashes goes well beyond
the teen driver and their teen passengers," said
Darbelnet. "These crashes also kill pedestrians
and people in other vehicles — that's somebody's mother,
child, brother, or grandmother."
The analysis also shows that while 12,413 of these fatalities
occurred in single vehicle crashes involving only the
vehicle operated by the teenage driver, the remaining
18,504 deaths occurred in crashes involving multiple-vehicles
and/or non-motorists. Of these, more than half of the
fatalities were either occupants of vehicles driven
by adult drivers (7,477, 40.4 percent) or non-motorists (2,323,
12.6 percent). In addition, nearly four out of five of these
drivers of other vehicles, their passengers, and non-motorist
deaths were 21 years of age or older.
"We view this report as a wake-up call for everyone
who uses our roadways to get involved by contacting
their state legislators, urging them to strengthen their
state GDL law," said Darbelnet.
While AAA says comprehensive GDL laws are the best way
to increase safety for all road users, the organization
also says parents play a critically important role in
enforcing passenger restrictions. (CONTINUE...)
|
