Data on Teen Driver Fatalities and Crashes Leading to Serious Injury Earn Focus During Safety Week

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Teen driver fatalities and crashes leading to serious injury within the state have more than doubled from 2018 to 2022, according to Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center.  Nationally, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15-20 year olds.

Connecticut has marked National Teen Driver Safety Week and the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has joined state officials and safety advocates to encourage parents to have a conversation with their teens about the rules of the road before handing over the keys.

“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers, and we need to raise awareness of the dangers teens face when they get behind the wheel and empower them to educate themselves and each other about common driving risks and how to avoid them,” said Governor Ned Lamont.

“We all know the excitement of finally being able to drive as a teen. But even as we celebrate that excitement, it’s important our young drivers recognize that with newfound freedom also comes the responsibility of driving safely,” said Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz. “Speeding, driving recklessly, or texting while driving can put your license at risk – but more seriously, can risk the safety and wellbeing of yourself and others.”

Connecticut has a stringent set of graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws for 16-and 17-year-old drivers, including:

  • Passenger restrictions.  No friends in the vehicle for the first year of licensure and no siblings for the first six months with a driver’s license.

  • Nighttime driving curfew. Driving is not allowed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

  • Increased penalties.  Automatic license suspension for conviction of 1) violating the passenger or nighttime curfew laws, 2) speeding (20 or more miles per hour over speed limit), 3) texting and driving, 4) reckless driving and 5) street racing. 

“Connecticut’s teen driving laws are in place to give young drivers a chance to gain experience without distractions and temptations to drive dangerously,” said DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera, who was co-chair of the state legislature’s Transportation Committee when the teen driving laws were enacted in 2008. “These laws have saved lives and enforcement needs to start at home.” 

National data from reports by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies, recently highlighted by MarketWatch,  illustrate the consequences of unsafe driving among teens:

  • Over 1.3 million young drivers were involved in police-reported traffic crashes in 2021, a 22% increase from 2020.

  • The number of young drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2021 increased by 11% from 2020.

  • 34% of 25- to 34-year-olds were not wearing seat belts at the time of a fatal crash, the highest rate of unbuckled drivers among all age groups.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, In fatal traffic crashes involving young drivers for the 10-year period from 2013 to 2022:

  • Fatalities among young drivers increased by 20 percent.

  • Fatalities among the passengers of young drivers decreased by 3 percent.

  • Occupant fatalities of other vehicles increased by 42 percent.

  • Nonoccupant (pedestrians, pedalcyclists, or other nonoccupants) fatalities increased by 42 percent.

  • Total traffic fatalities in crashes involving young drivers increased by 22 percent

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Friday, Saturday and Sunday see the highest accident rates. CDC data shows that half of all crashes involving teens in 2020 landed on one of these weekend days. Additionally, 44% of motor vehicle deaths among teens occur between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Per mile driven, the rate of fatal crashes at night was about three times higher for teens than it was for adults.