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Student drivers: a study of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers.
Ann Emerg Med. 2005 Feb; 45(2):140-6.AE

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for US teenagers, accounting for 40% of fatalities. The purpose of this study was to compare novice (aged 16 years) and experienced (aged 25 to 49 years) drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes with respect to crash characteristics and driver behaviors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study of fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (1995 to 2001). Driver and crash variables were compared in the 2 age groups using separate logistic regression models, adjusted for sex, geographic locale, and year.

RESULTS

Two thousand four hundred twenty fatal motor vehicle crashes were included; 158 fatalities (6.5%) were novice drivers. Novice drivers were more likely to have been speeding (odds ratio [OR] 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 3.08); driving recklessly (OR 4.78, 95% CI 3.31 to 6.92); charged with a traffic violation (OR 3.08, 95% CI 2.20 to 4.31); in a single-vehicle (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.57), rollover (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.91) or run-off-the-road (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.30) crash; and carrying 2 (OR 4.52, 95% CI 2.75 to 7.41) or more (OR 4.07, 95% CI 2.49 to 6.55) passengers. Safety belt nonuse was high for novice (48%) and experienced (42%) drivers (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.67). Novice drivers had older cars (mean difference 1.5 years, 95% CI 0.37 to 2.57 years). Novice drivers were less likely to be involved in crashes caused by alcohol (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.41) or adverse weather (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.75) and to be driving a sport utility vehicle (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.97).

CONCLUSION

Fatal motor vehicle crashes involving novice drivers are characterized by speeding, recklessness, single-vehicle and rollover crashes, and traffic law violations, suggesting that novice drivers bear considerable responsibility for their fatal crashes. Moreover, almost half of 16-year-old drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their safety belts. These data may prove useful in strengthening graduated licensing laws and in improving drivers' education courses and public safety campaigns.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Gonzales MM
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, USA.
Dickinson LM
No affiliation info available
DiGuiseppi C
No affiliation info available
Lowenstein SR
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Accidents, TrafficAdolescentAdolescent BehaviorAdultAutomobile DrivingCause of DeathColoradoCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMotor VehiclesRisk-TakingRural PopulationSeat BeltsWeather

Pub Type(s)

Comparative Study
Journal Article
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Language

eng

PubMed ID

15671969

Citation

Gonzales, Michael M., et al. "Student Drivers: a Study of Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving 16-year-old Drivers." Annals of Emergency Medicine, vol. 45, no. 2, 2005, pp. 140-6.
Gonzales MM, Dickinson LM, DiGuiseppi C, et al. Student drivers: a study of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. Ann Emerg Med. 2005;45(2):140-6.
Gonzales, M. M., Dickinson, L. M., DiGuiseppi, C., & Lowenstein, S. R. (2005). Student drivers: a study of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 45(2), 140-6.
Gonzales MM, et al. Student Drivers: a Study of Fatal Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving 16-year-old Drivers. Ann Emerg Med. 2005;45(2):140-6. PubMed PMID: 15671969.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Student drivers: a study of fatal motor vehicle crashes involving 16-year-old drivers. AU - Gonzales,Michael M, AU - Dickinson,L Miriam, AU - DiGuiseppi,Carolyn, AU - Lowenstein,Steven R, PY - 2005/1/27/pubmed PY - 2005/3/4/medline PY - 2005/1/27/entrez SP - 140 EP - 6 JF - Annals of emergency medicine JO - Ann Emerg Med VL - 45 IS - 2 N2 - STUDY OBJECTIVE: Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for US teenagers, accounting for 40% of fatalities. The purpose of this study was to compare novice (aged 16 years) and experienced (aged 25 to 49 years) drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes with respect to crash characteristics and driver behaviors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study of fatal motor vehicle crashes in Colorado used data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (1995 to 2001). Driver and crash variables were compared in the 2 age groups using separate logistic regression models, adjusted for sex, geographic locale, and year. RESULTS: Two thousand four hundred twenty fatal motor vehicle crashes were included; 158 fatalities (6.5%) were novice drivers. Novice drivers were more likely to have been speeding (odds ratio [OR] 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34 to 3.08); driving recklessly (OR 4.78, 95% CI 3.31 to 6.92); charged with a traffic violation (OR 3.08, 95% CI 2.20 to 4.31); in a single-vehicle (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.57), rollover (OR 1.36, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.91) or run-off-the-road (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.30) crash; and carrying 2 (OR 4.52, 95% CI 2.75 to 7.41) or more (OR 4.07, 95% CI 2.49 to 6.55) passengers. Safety belt nonuse was high for novice (48%) and experienced (42%) drivers (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.67). Novice drivers had older cars (mean difference 1.5 years, 95% CI 0.37 to 2.57 years). Novice drivers were less likely to be involved in crashes caused by alcohol (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.41) or adverse weather (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.75) and to be driving a sport utility vehicle (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.97). CONCLUSION: Fatal motor vehicle crashes involving novice drivers are characterized by speeding, recklessness, single-vehicle and rollover crashes, and traffic law violations, suggesting that novice drivers bear considerable responsibility for their fatal crashes. Moreover, almost half of 16-year-old drivers involved in fatal motor vehicle crashes were not wearing their safety belts. These data may prove useful in strengthening graduated licensing laws and in improving drivers' education courses and public safety campaigns. SN - 1097-6760 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/15671969/Student_drivers:_a_study_of_fatal_motor_vehicle_crashes_involving_16_year_old_drivers_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -