Strong Public Support for Effective Measure to Reduce Teen Crashes, Says AAA

BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 22, 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 Washington/Inland, yet just half of states have these lifesaving laws. Crash data show that passenger restriction laws, an important component of Intermediate Driver Licensing systems, 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 younger siblings," said Janet Ray, AAA Washington/Inland's managing director of Corporate Communications. "The reality is that most parents are willing to wait a few months longer to ensure the teenager will have the best opportunity to drive safely."

More than 90 percent of AAA Washington/Inland members polled recently believe that teen intermediate driver licensing laws should include restrictions on the teen passengers that teen drivers can have in their vehicles.

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

Currently forty-eight states, including Washington, and the District of Columbia have some form of an Intermediate Driver License law. These 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 states that need to add or improve their nighttime driving restrictions, and behind the wheel training.

In 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.

Ray praised the current Intermediate Driver License law in Washington state, noting that it included the effective passenger and night-time driving restrictions that have proven so effective.

"AAA expects to push for passenger restrictions and other components that strengthen GDL laws in at least 33 states this year," said Ray. "AAA's 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 December 4 - 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.

More information about AAA is available on the company's website at www.aaa.com.