The presence of passengers is associated with fatal motor vehicle crashes of teenage drivers. A restriction against newly-licensed teenage drivers carrying passengers has been included in some, but not all, graduated licensing systems. The purpose of this study was to predict the net effects on all types of road users, including vehicle occupants and nonoccupants, of possible prohibitions against 16-17-year-old drivers carrying passengers in the United States. Two national data sets, a census of fatal crashes and a sample of trips in the United States, were used to compute 1995 road user death rates. Potential effects of restrictions on drivers ages 16-17 carrying passengers younger than age 20 were estimated, based on road user death rates and potential choices made by passengers who would have travelled with 16-17-year-old drivers if there were no restrictions. There were 1,181 road user deaths in 1995 involving drivers ages 16-17 whose passengers were all younger than age 20. The predicted number of U.S. lives that would be saved annually ranges from 83 to 493 (corresponding to reductions of 7-42 percent in road user deaths) for drivers ages 16 and 17 combined. Similar percentages of reductions (8-44 percent) were predicted solely for 16-year-old drivers. Assuming passenger restrictions would apply to all 16-year-old drivers and at least one-third of 17-year-old drivers, an estimated 60-344 fewer deaths per year may occur if restrictions are mandated. Restrictions on carrying passengers younger than age 20 should be considered for inclusion in graduated licensing systems for young drivers. Even if less than half the drivers obey the restrictions, a substantial reduction in road user deaths would be expected. Evaluation of the restrictions based on real-world experience is needed to confirm their efficacy. (Author/publisher)
Abstract