Despite Strong Public Support, Only Half of States Have Most Effective Measure to Reduce Teen Crashes, AAA Says

WASHINGTON--Jan. 2, 20042, 2004--Nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of Americans support laws limiting the number of teenage passengers who may ride with inexperienced teen drivers, according to a nationwide poll released today by AAA, yet just half of states have these lifesaving laws. Crash data show that passenger restriction laws, an important component of Graduated Driver Licensing systems (GDL), are the most effective way to reduce teen crashes, deaths and injuries.

"There is a current misconception that parents will find the teen passenger restriction law burdensome because parents typically designate the teen as the chauffer to the younger siblings," said Elizabeth Vermette, AAA Director of State Relations. "The reality is that parents are willing to wait an additional 30 days to six months longer to ensure the teenager will have the best opportunity to drive safely."

The survey also found that most adults (73 percent) think that public officials should do more to improve the safety of drivers between the ages of 15 to 19. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people 15 to 20 years of age.

Currently forty-eight states and the District of Columbia have some form of a Graduated Drivers Licensing law (GDL). GDL laws help novice drivers learn to drive by controlling their progression towards full unrestricted driving. However, half the states still do not have the most effective component of a GDL law -- passenger restrictions. And there are still a number of states that also need to add or improve their nighttime driving restrictions, and behind the wheel training.

California, where the first significant teen passenger restrictions took effect in 1999, teen passenger deaths and injuries have dropped by 23 percent. One study showed that inexperienced teens driving with one teen passenger nearly doubled their fatal crash risk; having two or more passengers increased their crash risk five-fold compared with driving alone.

"AAA expects to push for passenger restrictions and other components that strengthen GDL laws in at least 33 states this year," said Vermette. "Our efforts during the last decade have led to nearly every state having some form of a GDL law, but there is still much work to do in making these laws stronger. We must remember that motor vehicle crashes are the greatest danger that teenagers face."

Opinion Research Corporation conducted the national telephone poll on December 4 through 7, 2003 for AAA. The survey sampled the opinions of 1,005 adults,with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percent.

As North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its more than 46 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.

AAA news releases are available from http://www.aaa.com/news.