Abstract
Of 149 large cities surveyed, 72 were found to have nighttime driving curfew ordinances applying to teenagers of various ages. The typical city driving curfew identified starts at midnight, ends at 5 a.m., and affects all activity of teenagers ages 13-17 in a public place and unaccompanied by a parent. In comparisons of 47 cities withcurfews covering 13- to 17-year-olds and 77 cities without curfews, curfews were associated with a 23% reduction in fatal injury for 13- to 17-year-olds for the 9 p.m.-5:59 a.m. time period. This is identical to the 23% reduction estimated for both fatal and nonfatal motor vehicle injuries for 13- to 17-year-olds in an earlier, more limited study of curfews in Detroit, Cleveland, and Columbus, Ohio. (A)