Helping New Teen Drivers Gain Helping New Teen Drivers Gain The Experience They Need to The Experience They Need to

Become Safe DriversBecome Safe Drivers

Helping New Teen Drivers Gain Helping New Teen Drivers Gain The Experience They Need to The Experience They Need to

Become Safe DriversBecome Safe Drivers

North Dakota Conference on Injury Prevention and Control

October 29, 2008

Justin McNaullAAA

Director, State Relations

AgendaAgendaAgendaAgenda

The Teen Driver Safety Challenge Graduated Driver Licensing

The National Picture Legislative Efforts

Community Efforts What Can Be Done in North Dakota

Impact of Teen Driver Impact of Teen Driver CrashesCrashes

Impact of Teen Driver Impact of Teen Driver CrashesCrashes

5,000+ teen deaths per year Nearly two-thirds of people killed are

people other than the teen driver Passengers, other vehicle occupants, pedestrians,

cyclists

Injuries have greater “cost” than deaths Kids at significant risk well before they

start driving Fatal crash risk begins to increase as young as age 12

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

16 17 18 19 20- 25- 30- 35- 40- 45- 50- 55- 60- 65- 70- 75- 80- 85+

Driver age

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Crash Rates By AgeCrash Rates By AgeCrash Rates By AgeCrash Rates By Age

(2001-2002 GES data; IIHS, 2006)

Why Do Teens Crash?Why Do Teens Crash?Why Do Teens Crash?Why Do Teens Crash?

Lack of experience Immaturity/risky behavior

Reducing Teen Driver Reducing Teen Driver Deaths: How?Deaths: How?

Reducing Teen Driver Reducing Teen Driver Deaths: How?Deaths: How?

To reduce teen driver deaths and injuries, you must reduce teen crashes. How?

Reduce driving by teens Reduce driving by teens under risky

conditions Reduce individual dangerous driving

actions by teens

Reducing Teen Driver Reducing Teen Driver Deaths: Broad StrategiesDeaths: Broad Strategies

Reducing Teen Driver Reducing Teen Driver Deaths: Broad StrategiesDeaths: Broad Strategies

Graduated driver licensing Driver training for teens Parental involvement Technology/monitoring Change teen attitudes about safe driving Societal shift

Graduated Driver LicensingGraduated Driver LicensingGraduated Driver LicensingGraduated Driver Licensing

Learner’s Permit (Age 16) Allowed to drive with licensed parent or other adult Mandatory holding period (6 months) Required practice time (50 hours) Driver education

Intermediate License (Age 16 ½) Allowed to drive on your own No night driving (10 p.m.) No/limited teen passengers (No more than 1) Required holding period (6 months)

Full license (Age 17) Allowed to drive on your own, no limits

GDL: Passenger and Night LimitsGDL: Passenger and Night Limits(Effective Jan. 1997)

GDL: Passenger and Night LimitsGDL: Passenger and Night Limits(Effective Jan. 1997)

Night Restrictions Only (10)

Passenger Restrictions Only (0)

Both Passenger & Night Restrictions (1)

Neither (39+DC)

Night Restrictions Only (14)

Passenger Restrictions Only (3)

Both Passenger & Night Restrictions (22+DC)

Neither (11+DC)

GDL: Passenger and Night GDL: Passenger and Night LimitsLimits

(Effective Jan. 2003)

GDL: Passenger and Night GDL: Passenger and Night LimitsLimits

(Effective Jan. 2003)

GDL: Passenger and Night GDL: Passenger and Night LimitsLimits

(Enacted as of October2008)(Enacted as of October2008)

GDL: Passenger and Night GDL: Passenger and Night LimitsLimits

(Enacted as of October2008)(Enacted as of October2008)

(D.C.)

Night Restrictions Only (7)

Passenger Restrictions Only (1)

Both Passenger & Night Restrictions (39 + DC)

Neither (3)

GDL Components Vary GDL Components Vary GreatlyGreatly

GDL Components Vary GDL Components Vary GreatlyGreatly

Night Limits: Dusk to 1 a.m. start times Passenger Limits:

None to “no more than seat belts” No family allowed to no pax under age 17

Learner’s Holding Periods: 12 months to 10 days

Certified Practice Hours: 100 to 20 Learner’s Age: 16 to 14 Solo Driving: 17 to 14 and 3 months Farm/school permits “Short cuts” for driver education

GDL Lobbying: Who’s GDL Lobbying: Who’s Involved?Involved?

GDL Lobbying: Who’s GDL Lobbying: Who’s Involved?Involved?

Safety Groups Law enforcement Other government Insurers and other private sector Medical community Driver ed community

GDL Lobbying: What’s GDL Lobbying: What’s Working?Working?

GDL Lobbying: What’s GDL Lobbying: What’s Working?Working?

Data Sad stories Media coverage Grassroots/constituents

Cost of Teen Driver Cost of Teen Driver CrashesCrashes

Cost of Teen Driver Cost of Teen Driver CrashesCrashes

Contracted with PIRE for state-by-state analysis of cost of teen driver crashes

$34 billion total costs nationwide $9.8 billion for fatalities $20.5 billion for injuries $4.1 billion for property damage crashes

North Dakota – $117 million (16 deaths, 1,698 injuries, 4,069 crashes)

Using it as a lobbying tool Already used in KS, NH, MN Released nationally in April

GDL Lobbying: Myths that GDL Lobbying: Myths that Hurt UsHurt Us

GDL Lobbying: Myths that GDL Lobbying: Myths that Hurt UsHurt Us

Driver education is sufficient Strict GDL systems interfere with parental

rights Components of GDL systems are un-

enforceable GDL doesn’t fit with rural lifestyles Passenger restrictions increase crash-

risk exposure for teens “Teens will be teens” and not even GDL

systems produce behavior change

GDL Lobbying: What’s GDL Lobbying: What’s NextNext

GDL Lobbying: What’s GDL Lobbying: What’s NextNext

“Color in the map” – Arkansas, North Dakota, Kansas

Improve deficient components – 49 states fall short of “model”

Non-core GDL efforts – “N” stickers, enhanced punishments, parent-requirements for driver ed, etc.

Federal GDL bill

Other EffortsOther EffortsOther EffortsOther Efforts

Parent involvement Parent-teen driving agreements Checkpoints program Parent outreach programs Monitoring devices

Community involvement Adult driven Peer-to-peer Changing culture of teen driving

What Can North Dakota What Can North Dakota Do?Do?

What Can North Dakota What Can North Dakota Do?Do?

Programs Think “behavior change” Use parents, schools, other “institutions” that afford

regular contact Experiment Evaluate

GDL Keep your target simple Build a broad coalition Be strategic Learn the politics Use data Use the media to build public support

GDL Lobbying: Myths that GDL Lobbying: Myths that Hurt UsHurt Us

GDL Lobbying: Myths that GDL Lobbying: Myths that Hurt UsHurt Us

Driver education is sufficient Strict GDL systems interfere with parental

rights Components of GDL systems are un-

enforceable GDL doesn’t fit with rural lifestyles Passenger restrictions increase crash-

risk exposure for teens “Teens will be teens” and not even GDL

systems produce behavior change

GDL Lobbying: What’s GDL Lobbying: What’s NextNext

GDL Lobbying: What’s GDL Lobbying: What’s NextNext

“Color in the map” – Arkansas, North Dakota, Kansas

Improve deficient components – 49 states fall short of “model”

Non-core GDL efforts – “N” stickers, enhanced punishments, parent-requirements for driver ed, etc.

Federal GDL bill