New laws for young drives.

• Position: Statestats

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among U.S. teenagers. More than 3,600 young drivers were killed in 2001, and an additional 337,000 were injured.

Teenage drivers are more likely to drink, use drugs, speed and swerve, and risk rises sharply with each additional passenger. A 16-year-old with three or more passengers is three times more likely to be involved in a fatal wreck than one driving alone.

A number of states have passed laws restricting passengers and others are considering it this legislative session.

Virginia passed a law that limits the number of passengers under the age of 18 in a vehicle driven by someone under 18. A teen is allowed one passenger the first year of driving and two more until the driver turns 18.

Nighttime driving is another area where teens have an increased risk. Forty-one percent of fatal crashes involving teenagers occurred at night in 2001. Illinois lawmakers are considering a bill that would not allow teens to operate a vehicle between 9 p.m. and 6 am. It also...