Abstract
The extent to which teenage drivers (TDs) are involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) has not been determined on a statewide basis in Utah. In this study, the authors determined the rate of MVCs involving TDs as well as characteristics of these crashes. Teenagers accounted for 5% of the driving population, but were involved in 16% of MVCs. Through probabilistic linkage with statewide hospital and emergency department data, crashes involving TDs were shown to result in nearly 13 million US dollars in hospital charges and 9.7 million US dollars in emergency department charges in the five-year study period. TDs are high risk drivers and interventions should target them. (A)