Traffic Safety Facts 1999: Young Drivers

NHTSA · 2000 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report, published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2000, analyzes traffic safety statistics for young drivers aged 15 to 20 in the United States for the year 1999. The document addresses the critical issue of motor vehicle crashes, which remain the leading cause of death for this age group. It aims to quantify the prevalence of fatal and non-fatal crashes, identify risk factors such as alcohol consumption and licensing status, and evaluate the impact of legislative interventions like minimum drinking age laws. The analysis utilizes data from NHTSA’s National Center for Statistics and Analysis, comparing 1999 figures with historical data from 1989 to assess trends. The study examines licensed driver populations, police-reported crashes, and fatal crash involvement rates. Specific metrics include driver fatalities, injury counts, economic costs, and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels. The report also incorporates data on motorcycle safety, helmet usage, and the effectiveness of state-level regulations, including zero-tolerance laws and minimum drinking age statutes. Key findings indicate that while the number of young drivers decreased by 1.2 percent between 1989 and 1999, the number of 15- to 20-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes dropped by 15 percent, and driver fatalities for this group fell by 16 percent. Despite these improvements, young drivers accounted for 15 percent of all drivers involved in fatal crashes in 1999. The fatality rate for teenage drivers (16–19 years old) was approximately four times higher than that of drivers aged 25–69, based on estimated annual travel. Alcohol involvement remained a significant factor; 21 percent of young drivers killed in crashes were intoxicated (BAC ≥ 0.10 g/dl), with higher rates among males (24 percent) than females (11 percent). Additionally, 79 percent of young drivers who were drinking and killed in crashes were unrestrained. Among young motorcycle drivers, 45 percent of those fatally injured were not wearing helmets, and 27 percent were unlicensed or held invalid licenses. The estimated economic cost of police-reported crashes involving young drivers was $32.2 billion. The report concludes that legislative measures have had a measurable positive impact. NHTSA estimates that minimum drinking age laws saved 19,121 lives between 1975 and 1999, with 901 lives saved in 1999 alone. The data underscores the disproportionate risk faced by young drivers, particularly regarding alcohol use and restraint non-compliance, highlighting the continued necessity of targeted safety interventions and enforcement of existing laws.

Key finding

Driver fatalities for young drivers aged 15 to 20 decreased by 16 percent between 1989 and 1999, with a 20 percent drop for young males compared to a 3 percent decrease for young females.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• novice drivers
• comparative international
• sex gender

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence