Facts + Statistics: Teen drivers

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among teens according to the Centers for Disease Control’s Teen Driver Fact Sheet. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1,886 drivers age 15 to 20 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2015, compared with 1,723 drivers in this age group in 2014.

Drivers age 15 to 20 accounted for 9 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2015 and 12 percent of all drivers involved in police-reported crashes. In contrast, young drivers accounted for 5.4 percent of total drivers in the United States. The number of drivers age 15 to 20 involved in fatal crashes totaled 4,308 in 2015, down 43 percent from the 7,493 involved in 2006.

Twenty-four percent of drivers age 15 to 20 who were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2015 had been drinking some amount of alcohol; 19 percent were alcohol-impaired, which is defined by a blood alcohol content of 0.08 grams per deciliter or higher.

Teens also have a greater chance of getting involved in an accident if other teens are present in the vehicle, according to research from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm.

Motor Vehicle Deaths Per 100,000 Persons By Age, 2016

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Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

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