Teens Make for a Deadly Driving Duo.

Teenage drivers put everyone on the roadway at risk of a deadly crash--if they are bringing teen passengers along for the ride. Research from the American Automobile Association Foundation for Traffic Safety, Washington, DC, found that, when a teen driver has only teen passengers in the vehicle, the fatality rate for all people involved in a crash increases 51%.

In contrast, when passengers 35 or older ride with a teen driver, overall fatality rates in crashes decrease eight percent. Considering the heightened risk created by a combination of teen drivers and passengers, AAA emphasizes the need for teenagers to gain adequate supervised training, especially in different driving scenarios, before taking what could be a fatal ride.

In 2017, teen drivers were involved in more than 1,000,000 police-reported crashes resulting in over 3,200 deaths. Researchers pinpoint that, when teens are carrying teen passengers, fatality rates jump 56% for occupants of other vehicles; 45% for the teen driver; and 17% for pedestrians and cyclists.

Notes David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: "This study also found the fatality rate of a teen driver-related crash increased when factors like speeding or driving at night were introduced."

Adds Jennifer Ryan, director of AAA State Relations, "Teens simply lack experience behind the wheel, which increases the odds of a deadly outcome, not just for the teen driver, but for their passengers and others on the...