From 2000 through 2004, 16-year-old drivers had a higher involvement rate in fatal motor vehicle crashes than any other age among young drivers (age 16 through 20). These data are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Previous reports based on FARS data have shown that young drivers as a group have the highest involvement rate in fatal crashes when compared to all other age groups (DOT HS 809 919). Table 1 shows that in 2004 the involvement rate per 100,000 licensed drivers was highest (76.99) for 16-year-old drivers and lowest (54.21) for 20-year-old drivers, as they are in each of the four preceding years. Rates for 17- and 18-year-old drivers are close to each other but are lower than the rate for 16-year-olds. Also, between 2000 and 2004, the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes decreased for 16- and 17-year-olds, and remained almost the same for the other ages. The number of licensed drivers age 16, 17, and 18 declined from 2000 to 2004, whereas the number of licensed drivers age 19 and 20 remained almost the same. In all the years, the involvement rate in fatal crashes for drivers age 16 was the highest and lowest was for drivers age 20. In 2004, the involvement rate in fatal crashes of 16-year-old drivers was 1.4 times the rate of 20-year-old drivers. (Author/publisher)
Abstract