Teen Drivers
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for U.S. teens. The risk is highest in the first months after getting a license, when drivers lack experience recognizing hazards. Parents, graduated licensing and good habits make a big difference.
- Teen drivers
- Parents
- Young workers
The biggest risks
- Inexperience: new drivers are slower to spot hazards and misjudge gaps and speeds.
- Passengers: each additional teen passenger raises the crash risk.
- Night driving: crashes are more likely in the dark, especially late at night.
- Distraction: phones, music and friends. See Distracted Driving.
- Speed and close following. See Speeding.
- Not wearing seat belts. Teens buckle up less often than adults.
- Impairment: alcohol and cannabis. Drivers under 21 face zero-tolerance laws. See Impaired Driving.
- Drowsiness: teens need more sleep than adults. See Drowsy Driving.
Graduated driver licensing (GDL)
Every state has a GDL system that adds driving privileges in stages: a learner’s permit with supervised driving, then an intermediate license with limits on night driving and passengers, then a full license. Parents who enforce the GDL rules (and add their own) help their teens avoid crashes.
Practice makes the difference
- Practice in many conditions: highways, rain, night, heavy traffic, rural roads and parking lots.
- Talk through what you see: “What could that car do? Where’s your out?”
- Keep practicing after the license. The first year is the riskiest.
Parent-teen driving agreement
- Seat belts on for everyone, every trip
- Phone off or in Do Not Disturb mode while driving
- No passengers (or a set number) for the first months
- Home by a set time; no late-night driving at first
- Zero alcohol or drugs, and a no-questions-asked ride home if needed
- Follow speed limits
- Consequences agreed ahead of time
Teens who drive for work
Federal child labor rules limit driving on the job for workers under 18. Workers 16 and younger generally may not drive on public roads for work, and 17-year-olds may only drive in limited situations. See Young Workers.
Standards & references
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