TEENAGE DRIVING FATALITIES

Background/Purpose: A recent legislative effort in New Hampshire to in stitute a graduated licensing system for teenagers (TA) led to an anal ysis of state data on fatal crashes involving TA drivers. This provide s an overview of these events and suggests possible prevention strateg ies. Methods: Data on fatal crashes involving TA drivers was obtained for the years 1991 through 1996 from the Fatal Accident Unit, Division of State Police, New Hampshire Department of Safety. Results: From 19 91 through 1996, there were 100 events resulting in 109 total deaths, of which 76 were TA. Five involved motorcycles. Four drivers struck pe destrians, and two struck children on bicycles. In one case, an object fell from a truck, crushing a car. The remaining 88 were single- or m ultiple-car crashes, and these were analyzed further. Two thirds of th e drivers were boys. The driver breakdown by age was 15 years, 3; 16 y ears, 21; 17 years, 26; 18 years, 20; 19 years, 18. The TA driver was killed in 47% of the events. Nineteen percent resulted in the death of the driver of another car. In 62 events, there were passengers in the TAs car, and in 55% of these, a passenger was killed. Twenty percent of the crashes involved drugs or alcohol, and almost two thirds of the se occurred between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Seat belts were not used by at least 72% of those injured fatally. In 59%, known traffic violation s, usually speeding, contributed. More detailed data were available fo r 1995 through 1996, during which there were 30 crashes resulting in 3 3 deaths. Speed limit did not correlate with number of crashes. One-ca r crashes outnumbered multiple-car, 57% to 43%. Ninety percent occurre d on single-lane roads. Most significantly, 63% of the drivers had bee n licensed less than 1 year and 47% less than 6 months. In this latter group, drugs and alcohol played no role, and none occurred between 11 :00 PM and 6:00 AM. Conclusions: Two at-risk groups exist. The first i s inexperienced sober TA drivers on single-lane roads during conventio nal hours. As experience increases, the second group appears: TA who h ave been drinking and are out late at night. Prevention strategies mus t take into account these two groups. J Pediatr Surg 33:1084-1089. Cop yright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.