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An examination of the teen driver issue in Alabama,including a review of the need for a tougher

graduated driver licensing law.

Table of Contents

3 Introduction

4 Crash CourseA look at the sobering statistics regarding teen driver injuries and fatalities

6 Why They CrashAn evaluation of the errors and hazardousactions teens take behind the wheel

9 Graduating to DriveA review of Arkansas’s graduated driverlicense system and the need for a tougher law

11 Safety MaterialsAdditional brochures, books and safety videosabout safe driving available from AAA

3 Introduction

4 Crash CourseA look at the sobering statistics regarding teen driver injuries and fatalities

6 Why They CrashAn evaluation of the errors and hazardousactions teens take behind the wheel

9 Graduating to DriveA review of Alabama’s graduated driverlicense system and the need for a tougher law

11 Safety MaterialsAdditional brochures, books and safety videosabout safe driving available from AAA

2

Most teenagers dream of the day they candrive. To a 16-year-old, a driver’s licenseis a ticket to freedom, the key to a newworld of personal mobility. Having a

license means they can cruise around after school,take a date to the movies, or cram a bunch offriends in the car and head to the football game.

And many young drivers demonstrate the skillsand maturity needed to successfully and safely nego-tiate the roads in Alabama. But many others, do notfully comprehend that with a license comes tremen-dous responsibility–and risk.

In fact, 708 such teens inAlabama age 15–19 who were cruis-ing after school, on dates, headingto the football game and driving forother reasons were killed in trafficcrashes between 2004 and 2008.Another 38,233 were injured inwrecks in the same five-year timeperiod.

“This is a critical problem thatneeds immediate action. The longer we wait to makeour state’s teen licensing system safer, the moreteens will be at risk” said Clay Ingram, AAA Alabamaspokesperson. “Alabama teens face higher risk formotor vehicle death and disability than those inmost other states.”

The real risk that novice drivers face is clearlyevident in the disproportionate number of teenswho are killed on Alabama highways. Teens make upabout 7 percent of the driving population inAlabama but comprise about 13 percent of the driv-ers involved in fatal crashes.

In Alabama and across the country, motor vehi-cle crashes are the leading cause of death forteenagers, outdistancing deaths from homicide, sui-

cide, other accidental injuries, drug dependency,cancer or heart disease.

Yet the cost of their learning to drive doesn’t haveto be so tragic in Alabama. While the state imple-mented a graduated driver licensing (GDL) system in2002, the system has few restrictions on teen driversand was classified as “fair” by the Insurance Institutefor Highway Safety.

AAA was among numerous health and safetyorganizations that encouraged the AlabamaLegislature to adopt a GDL system in the first place.

Under most graduated systems,learning to drive is spread over anextended period of time withrestrictions placed on teens at eachstage that relate to passengers,nighttime driving and required train-ing. The goal is to give teens morebehind-the-wheel experience in lessrisky situations so they are gradual-ly introduced to the traffic system.

Alabama currently has a mini-mum requirement of 30 hours of supervised drivingtime, along with a restriction from driving betweenmidnight and 6 a.m. Teens also may not drive withmore than four passengers. While Alabama hastaken some steps to help keep teens safe, thosesteps don’t go far enough to help new drivers gainthe valuable experience they need in an environ-ment that is as safe as possible to avoid crashes.

What follows is a look at the magnitude of theteen driver problem and a review of the Alabama’sGDL law. By raising awareness of the seriousness ofthe novice driver safety issue, AAA hopes to helpcurb the alarming number of teen deaths onAlabama roads. Behind the wheel doesn’t have to bean unsafe place for teenagers.

More than 21teens were injured

or killed everyday in Alabamatraffic crashes

from 2004–2008.

Alabama’s Teenage Drivers at Risk

Introduction

3

Crash Course

Despite large gains in auto safety technolo-gy, such as anti-lock braking systems andair bags, young drivers are not immune tocrashes. In fact, evidence indicates in

their first two to three years of driving, teens arethree to four times more likely to be involved in acrash than the driving population at large–a statis-tic that has changed little in the past 15 years.

On a national basis, nearly 3,500 teen driverslost their lives in 2006 traffic crashes, and an esti-mated 272,000 teens were injured, with thousandsof them paralyzed or otherwise unable to resumethe life they were living. The emotional costs arestaggering, and the financial costs are equallyalarming. The National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration calculated that the lifetime cost tosociety for each fatality is more than $977,000, andthose not directly involved in crashes pay for nearlythree-quarters of all crash costs, primarily throughinsurance premiums, taxes and travel delay.

Unfortunately, Alabama has contributed vastly tothese shocking statistics. In fact, 708 teens age 15–19were killed in crashes on state roads from 2004–2008.Another 38,233 teens were injured in wrecks in the

same five-year time period. When the number of deaths and injuries are com-

bined and analyzed, 21 young people were killed orinjured every day in Alabama traffic crashes duringthis five-year period, almost one every hour.

Making matters worse is that teen drivers aren’tthe only ones who perish in these crashes. While 110teen drivers died in crashes in 2008 in Alabama,another 52 people who were riding with them or in

other cars also were killed, paying the price for theteens’ inexperience. In addition, about 6,423 teenswere injured in crashes during 2008. But in thosesame crashes, a total of 35,615 people were injuredincluding the teens themselves as well as their pas-sengers, occupants of other cars and pedestrians.

Sadly, nearly one out of every five traffic fatali-ties in the state from 2004–2008 occurred in crash-es involving teenage drivers. As these numbersshow, the issue of teen driver safety isn’t just aproblem that affects only teens. Teen crashesexact a large toll on many other drivers onAlabama’s roads.

50

100

150

200

2004

154

2005

145

2006

162

2007

132

2008

115

15–19 Year-Olds Killed in AlabamaTraffic Crashes by Year

Source: Alabama Department of Public Safety

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

2004

8,675

2005

8,070

2006

8,056

2007

7,009

2008

6,423

15–29 Year-Olds Injured inAlabama Traffic Crashes by Year

Source: Alabama Department of Public Safety

Crashes kill, injure thousands of teens yearly

4

Crash Course

100

200

300

400

500

600

32 3690

578 546

394

304 318 332 362

274 260

166116

350

Alabama Crash Fatalities by Age Group, 2005–2008

Source: Alabama Department of Public Safety

Alabama teens are overrepresented in crashes

The number of teen deaths in automobilecrashes is grievous. But compared to thenumber of crashes for other age groups, thestatistics are particularly deplorable.

Compared to all other drivers, teens are substantial-ly over-involved in traffic crashes on Arkansas roads.

On a national basis, the 15- to 20-year-old agegroup accounts for about 6 percent of the drivingpopulation but is involved in 13 percent of all fatalcrashes. Further, almost 20 percent of all highwayfatalities occur in crashes involving teens. Crash sta-tistics in Alabama are just as ominous. Teens makeup about 7 percent of the driving population butcomprise about 13 percent of the drivers involved infatal crashes. Teens have a fatality rate that is fourtimes as high as that of some older drivers.

Driving is perhaps the biggest responsibilityentrusted to teens, but the frightening statisticsshow many are not ready. Teenage drivers have thehighest number of crash fatalities among all driversin Alabama, with only motorists in the 21–25 agegroup coming close to their fatality rate. Clearlyyoung drivers accumulate a large proportion of their

crash experience in the first few years of driving. Based on these statistics, some may question

whether a 16-year-old should be allowed to get anunrestricted drivers license. It’s a question thatgained some momentum with the release of a studyseveral years ago by the National Institute of MentalHealth that indicated the adolescent brain may beunable to handle the responsibility of driving.Researchers found that the parts of the brain thatweigh risks, make judgements and control impulsivebehavior are still developing through the teen yearsand don’t mature until about age 25.

Once drivers do reach their mid-20s, their inci-dence of collisions decreases significantly and gener-ally continues dropping steadily until a spike amongdrivers who are 71 and older. Perhaps through matu-ration, accumulated driving time, changes in drivingpurpose or some combination of these factors,young motorists learn how to drive more safely. Thekey is helping drivers gain more experience in a safemanner during their early riskiest years by imple-menting a comprehensive GDL system, which hasbeen described as “training wheels for teens.”

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5

Why They Crash

There are a number of factors that contributeto young drivers’ high crash rates, especial-ly their lack of behind-the-wheel experience.Driving is a relatively complex skill, and

regardless of the level of maturity and intelligence,young drivers are still beginners. Some skills takelonger to master. In a life-threatening situation,young drivers may simply lack the experience neces-sary to respond in an effective manner.

Studies show basic vehicle control skills–liketurning, steering, and stopping–are achieved quitequickly. But perceptual, judgmentand decision-making skills takelonger to acquire. For example,compared to more experienceddrivers, novices concentrate eyemovements in a smaller area,refer to their rearview mirror lessoften, and look closer in front andto the right of the vehicle. Andadvanced motoring skills–such asdriving at night and during rushhour, detecting threats, and recovering from askid–take plenty of practice to master.

Nationally, studies have found that driver errorplays a role in upwards of 75 percent of the fatalcrashes involving teen drivers. Teens typically exhibitpoor multi-tasking ability and often don’t have theability to envision consequences–skills that are cru-cial to safe driving. Research also shows that teensare less likely to buckle up and more likely to use acell phone while driving than older motorists.

On Alabama’s roads, among the the most com-mon driver errors contributing to crashes are speed-ing, failure to yield, following too close and misjudg-ing the stopping distance. In addition, of the nearly19,000 crashes involving teens in 2008, about 17 per-cent of the teen drivers weren’t in control of the car.

Making matters worse is the fact young driverstypically exhibit impulsive and high risk-takingbehavior. Their immaturity translates into poor driv-ing judgment. Some young drivers may actually seekout demanding or risky situations so they can testtheir skills, as a way to make driving more exciting.Indeed, one recent study found 25 percent of maleteens speed because it is “fun.”

Not only do they take more risks behind thewheel, but young drivers have high-risk exposure tosituations ripe for crashes. Novice motorists often

drive during nighttime high-riskhours, when visibility is lower. Andthey typically drive with several oftheir friends in the car, who can dis-tract them and add to the peer pres-sure to take risks.

“Inexperience, immaturity andrisk-taking behavior all combine tomake the first year or two behind thewheel the riskiest period of life fordriving,” said Clay Ingram, AAA

Alabama spokesperson. “Teens simply lack the expe-rience it takes to be truly safe drivers.”

Unfortunately, the only way for novice drivers togain experience, sharpen their abilities and developproper decision-making skills is through driving. Forexample, a person who has little experience drivingand is approaching a bus stop may not perceive thepotential hazard of pedestrians entering and exitingthe bus. In comparison, an experienced driver hasdeveloped expectancies from encountering similarsituations and can use them to avoid trouble.

Statistics clearly show the risk of a collisiondeclines significantly after obtaining several years ofon-the-road driving experience. The challenge isallowing drivers to gain that experience in as safe amanner as possible.

Teens lack safe driving skills and experience

In 2008, careless orreckless drivingplayed a role inmore than 6,000

crashes involvingteen drivers.

6

Why They Crash

Teens commit more errors, hazardous actions

Because of their lack of experience and riskydriving behaviors, young drivers commitmore errors and hazardous actions behindthe wheel than all other drivers combined.

And when they’re behind the wheel of a vehicle thatweighs more than a ton traveling at 55 mph or more,the errors teenagers make can prove deadly–forthemselves and others.

Of the 18,925 crashes caused by teen drivers in2008 on Alabama’s roads, only 5,631 teens did notcommit an error or infraction that contributed tothe crash. In these incidents, the teens were doingwhat they were supposed to do behind the wheel.But unfortunately, roughly 70 percent of the teenmotorists in those crashes that year did made somemistake in action or judgement that lead to thewreck, many of which resulted in death for them orsomeone else in their car or in another vehicle.

Most of the errors and traffic violations teenscommit include careless and reckless driving, failureto yield, following too close, misjudging stoppingdistances and driving too fast. In many instances,the teens committed not just one but several errorsthat contributed to the crash.

In more than 17 percent of the traffic crashes in

2008 involving Alabama’s teen drivers, the teenmotorist was not in control of the vehicle. In addi-tion, 15 percent of the teen drivers in crashes failedto yield and nearly 13 percent misjudged stoppingdistance, a seemingly minor mistake that can provedeadly.

Mistakes are part of any learning process, includ-ing driving. Motorists of all ages commit errors andviolate traffic laws, including adults with decades ofexperience. But teens are at greater risk to do sobecause of their inexperience and immaturity.Speeding over a hill or passing another motorist onthe wrong side of the road may seem exciting andfun to a 16-year-old, but older drivers typically real-ize that such actions are dangerous and don’t com-mit them.

It’s important to note that teens themselvesaren’t the only ones at risk in these crashes.According to a 2009 study performed by the AAAFoundation for Traffic Safety, the majority of fatali-ties in teen crashes are people other than the teendriver. Indeed, nearly two other individuals arekilled for every teen driver killed, including occu-pants of other vehicles, the teen driver’s passengersand pedestrians, the study found.

Teen drivers involved in crashes by operating factor

Number of Crashes / % of TotalContributing factor 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008Driver not in control 5,400 - 23% 5,162 - 23% 4,983 - 23% 3,578 - 17% 3,251 - 17%

Failure to yield right of way 4,441 - 19% 4,368 - 19% 4,040 - 19% 3,288 - 16% 2,979 - 16%

Misjudge stopping distance 3,816 - 16% 3,582 - 16% 3,232 - 15% 2,521 - 12% 2,376 - 13%

Following too closely 3,170 - 13% 3,037 - 13% 2,858 - 13% 2,580 - 12% 2,380 - 13%

Unseen object, person or vehicle 2,796 - 12% 2,872 - 13% 2,674 - 12% 1,553 - 7% 1,380 - 7%

Over speed limit 1,946 - 8% 2,044 - 9% 2,098 - 10% 1,088 - 5% 1,014 - 5%

7

Why They Crash

While teens often operate under themaxim, the more the merrier whenthey’re driving around, crash reportsindicate that it may be the case of the

more the deadlier. And driving at night only adds tothe deadly consequences for teen motorists.

According to a number of national studies, thepresence of teen passengers increases the crash riskof unsupervised teen drivers. The risk increases sig-nificantly with the number of passengers. Whenthere are multiple passengers in the vehicle, thecrash risk is three to five times greater than whendriving alone. According to the studies, passengerpresence is associated with increased crash risk forboth male and female teen drivers and the risk isgreater for younger teens age 16 and 17 than forolder teen drivers.

Indeed, about two-thirds of crash deaths of teensnationwide that involve 16-year-old drivers occur

when the beginners were driving with teen passen-gers, studies show.

What makes matters worse is young drivers whocarry passengers commit more driver errors than allother drivers combined. Whether it’s because of thedistraction of having other young people in the caror the added peer pressure to take risks while driv-ing, teenagers commit more violations with passen-gers in the car, violations that often lead to crashes.

Another contributing factor to those crashes isthe time of day teens drive. Studies show that driv-ing on weekends and driving at night are significantrisk issues. In fact, four out of 10 teenage deaths inmotor vehicles occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.,according to the Insurance Institute for HighwaySafety. Nighttime driving restrictions in graduateddriver license laws typically are associated withcrash reductions of 40 to 60 percent during therestricted hours, studies show.

More passengers and night driving increase risk

Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

8

Graduating to Drive

Alabama unveiled its graduated driver licens-ing law in 2002 as a means to ease youngdrivers into the traffic environment. Themeasure replaced a law that only required a

new driver to hold a restricted license and be accom-panied by a licensed driver for six months.

However, the obstacles that a teenager must hur-dle before gaining an unrestricted license under the

GDL law are generally minimal compared to othersuch systems across the country. There are norestrictions on the time of day a teen can drive or onthe number on passengers that the novice driver cantransport. Plus, there is no required training timespent with a licensed parent or guardian.

Compared to AAA’s guidelines for an effectiveGDL law, Alabama’s law falls woefully short.

Learner’s/Instructional Permit• Must be at least 15 years old.• Teens must hold the permit for at least six months

and accumulate 30 hours of supervised driving.

Intermediate License• Must be at least 16 years old.• Intermediate license holders are restricted from

driving between midnight and 6 a.m.• Intermediate license holders may not drive with more

than four passengers.

Unrestricted License• Must be at least 17 years old.• Must have six months of driving experience with no

violations to be eligible for an unrestricted license.

Learner’s License • Must be at least 16 years old.• Must pass vision and knowledge test.• Drivers must be accompanied by someone at least 21.• All passengers must have seatbelts on at all times.• No serious accident or traffic convictions within six

months prior to making application.• Six-month holding period• Novice driver should be required to take a basic driver

education course.• Novice drivers should have at least 50 hours practice

(including nighttime driving) certified by a parent, guardian or licensed instructor.

• Novice drivers should not be permitted to use telecommunications devices (cell phones, instant messaging, etc. ) while driving on an learner’s stage.

Intermediate License• Must be at least 16 and a half years old.• Must have successfully completed first stage.• All passengers must have seatbelts on at all times.• No serious accident or traffic conviction within six

months prior to making application.• Six-month minimum holding period.• No more than one teen passenger for first six months.• Restricted from driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.• Drivers should take and pass an advanced driver

education course over the course of a year.• Novice drivers should not be permitted to use

telecommunications devices (cell phones, instant mes-saging, etc. ) while driving on an Intermediate License.

Unrestricted License• Must be at least 18 years old.• Successful completion of stage two.• Pass a final road test.

Few restrictions in Alabama’s existing GDL

9

Alabama’s current GDL law AAA’s recommended GDL

Graduating to Drive

Clearly, teen drivers in Alabama have the high-est crash risk of any age group in the statewith tragic consequences. The problem is theworst among the youngest motorists, age 16

and 17, who have the most limited driving experienceand an immaturity that results in risk-taking behindthe wheel.

The solution that most other states haveemployed are comprehensive graduated driver licens-ing laws that contain restrictions on teens to helpthem gain practice behind the wheel under the safestpossible conditions. There has been a revolution indriving licensing laws in the last decade, with virtuallyevery state strengthening their GDL systems. Learningthe fundamentals of driving and becoming comfort-able in traffic require concentration and practice.Effective GDL measures remove distractions andreduce risky situations for novice drivers so they canfocus on the road and gain the experience they need.

Unfortunately, Alabama’s GDL system needs toimprove several of the components that teen licenselaws require to make them effective in reducinginjuries and deaths. These components–includingsupervised driving practice and restrictions on pas-sengers and nighttime driving–havebeen proven in dozens of studies to bethe keys to keeping young drivers safeas they learn the rules of the road andthe intricacies of driving.

Among the most compelling of thestudies was performed by the JohnsHopkins Bloomberg School of PublicHealth’s Center for Injury Research andPolicy. Funded by the AAA Foundation for TrafficSafety, the report found that 16-year-old drivers areinvolved in 38 percent fewer fatal crashes and 40 per-cent fewer crashes resulting in injuries if their statehas a GDL program with at least five of seven compo-

nents, several of which Arkansas does not have. Theseven components included in the study were:

• A minimum age of at least 16 years old for receiving a learner’s permit.

• A requirement to hold the learner’s permit for at least six months before receiving a license that allows any unsupervised driving.

• A requirement for certification of at least 30 hours of supervised driving practice during the learner stage.

• An intermediate stage of licensing with a mini-mum entry age of at least 16 years and six months.

• A nighttime driving restriction for intermediate license holders, beginning no later than 10 p.m.

• A passenger restriction for intermediate license holders, allowing no more than one passenger (except family members).

• A minimum age of 17 years for full, unrestrict-ed licensure.

The study also found that in states with GDL lawsthat have four of the seven components, 16-year-olddrivers were involved in 21 percent fewer fatal crash-es and 36 percent fewer crashes with injuries.

“Strengthening the state’s graduat-ed driver licensing law is an importantstep that will reduce needless deathsand injuries on our highways and helpthousands of young drivers in Alabamato adjust to their new driving responsi-bilities,” advised Clay Ingram of AAA’sPublic Affairs Department. “Some ofthe necessary components are in

place, but they just need to be strengthened. A com-prehensive GDL system is one of the most effectiveactions that the Alabama Legislature can take to saveboth young lives and the lives of others involved incrashes with young drivers.” l

More comprehensive GDL laws save more lives

ComprehensiveGDL programscan reduce fatal

crashes up to38 percent.

10

AAA Safety Materials

AAA’s pamphlets and videos teach driver safety

Driving is a complex skill, especially whenyou are required to navigate crowded high-ways, share the road with massive trucks,decipher road signs at 60 mph, maneuver

on icy roads and determine how close you shoulddrive compared to other motorists.

As an advocate for motorists and travelers, AAAhas produced dozens of pamphlets, videos and moreregarding all aspects of driving, including driving ininclement conditions, parking, driving on the freeway,avoiding road rage and more. Through these educa-tional materials, AAA works to keep everyone safebehind the wheel.

Among the items available is the New DriverPacket, a free packet of three brochures designedboth for parents and teens. The brochure for teens

helps new drivers make good deci-sions about driving and containstips on avoiding 10 common baddriving behaviors. Another onefor parents offers advice onsafeguarding your son ordaughter behind the wheel.And the third includes par-ent-to-parent and parent-to-teen driving contracts that

spell out the driving rules parentsand teens expect from each other. To order

the packet, send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope to AAA Public Relations, 2400 ActonRoad, Birmingham, AL, 32543. Use at least 76 cents

postage on the return envelope.AAA also offers a wealth of driver safety informa-

tion online. Visit www.AAA.com/publicaffairs to beconnected to a world of helpful advice on stayingsafe on the road. Topics include:

• Aggressive drivers • Cell phones and driving • Defensive driving• Driving survival guide• Facts on alcohol and its effects on driving• Freeway driving• Safety belts• Pavement edge drop-offs• Distracted driving• Vehicle breakdown tipsAlso on the Web site, AAA also has a full video

lending library for school groups and other organiza-tions that provide group presentations. Topicsinclude the dangers of driving while intoxicated,driving in inclement weather and road rage. The onlycost to borrow the videos and DVDs is the returnpostage.

11

AAA Public Affairs2400 Acton Road

Birmingham, AL 35243

AAA gratefully acknowledges the cooperation ofthe Alabama Department of Public Safety in providing

crash statistics for this report that documents

Alabama’s Teenage Drivers at Risk