TEEN CRASH FACTS

In 2008, 6,428 people were killed in crashes involving young drivers ages 15-20. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, 2009)

2,739 young drivers ages 15-20 were killed in 2008 and 1,654 were passengers of young drivers. The remaining 2,035 victims were pedestrians, other drivers and passengers in the other vehicles involved in crashes with young drivers. (NHTSA, 2009)

Fatal crash rates per mile driven are twice as high for 16 year olds as it is for 18-19 year olds. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - IIHS, 2008)

Sixteen-year-olds have almost ten times the crash risk of drivers age 30-59 and almost 3 times the risk of older teenagers. (Williams, A.F., 1996)

Twenty-five (25%) of young drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2008 had a BAC above .08 percent. (NHTSA, 2009)

In 2008, 41 percent of the young drivers who were killed in crashes were unrestrained. (NHTSA, 2009)

The greatest incidence of teenage motor vehicle crashe deaths occur from 9pm to midnight. (IIHS, 2008)

Deaths in Crashes Involving Teen Drivers in Illinois

In 2008, 164 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in Illinois. Over the past five years, Illinois crashes involving teen drivers claimed 1225 lives. Nationally, since 1999, more than 84,400 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers.

Graduated Driver Licensing Laws in Illinois

The current GDL law in Illinois includes the following components:

· A three-stage licensing system beginning at age 15 for learner's permit, age 16 for the intermediate stage, and age 18 for full licensure

· A mandatory 9 month holding period for the learner's permit stage

· A minimum of 50 hours of supervised practice driving during the learner's permit stage, at least 10 of which must be at night

· A prohibition on unsupervised nighttime driving between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. (11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday) during the intermediate stage

· A passenger restriction prohibiting more than one passenger younger than age 20 for the first 12 months after licensure

· A prohibition on non-emergency use of cell phones and other communications devices until age 19

· A prohibition on texting while driving for all drivers

Changes Needed to Improve Illinois' GDL Law and Meet the Requirements of the STANDUP Act

· Require age 16 for entry into the learner's permit stage

· Strengthen the passenger restriction to prohibit more than one non-familial passenger under the age of 21 unless a licensed driver over age 21 is in the vehicle, for the entire intermediate stage through age 17

SouSource: Allstate Teen Driver

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