Study Indicates Teen Crash Losses Cost $34 Billion Per Year

A first-ever analysis from AAA finds that crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 17 cost American society more than $34 billion annually in medical expenses, lost work, property damage, quality of life loss and other related costs in 2006.

"The impact of a teen crash extends beyond the emotional tragedies and physical injury at the crash scene, with costs that can extend to employers, families, the government and society overall," said AAA President and CEO Robert L. Darbelnet. "These economic figures provide one more reason for legislators to improve graduated driver licensing in their states - a proven measure governments can take to reduce the deadly toll of teen driver crashes."

Comprehensive graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems ease teens into driving through a combination of mandatory practice and limited driving at night and with peer passengers. Comprehensive GDL systems have been shown to reduce fatal crashes involving teen drivers by an average of 38 percent. AAA is a leading advocate for teen driver safety issues and remains committed to encouraging states to improve upon their graduated driver
licensing (GDL) systems.

According to the analysis conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation for AAA, drivers ages 15 to 17 in 2006 were involved in about 974,000 crashes, injuring 406,427 people and killing 2,541.

The $34.4 billion cost in 2006 included $9.8 billion in cost from fatal crashes, with an average cost of $3.841 million per fatality. Injury crashes averaged $50,512, with their large numbers producing a total cost of $20.5 billion - more than twice the cost of fatal crashes. Property
damage crashes accounted for the remaining $4.1 billion in cost.  "Some of these costs are paid directly by government through Medicaid, police, paramedics and courts. Many other costs - like lost wages, traffic delay and reduced quality of life - don't show up directly, but also
reflect the very large, very real cost of crashes involving teen drivers," said Darbelnet. "States that improve their graduated driver licensing programs will reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths for road users of all ages and reduce crash-related costs that are paid by the state, too."

The cost of teen crashes was calculated using modeling that researchers at PIRE have used for economic analysis for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The analysis draws upon a broad range of databases and research involving crashes, injury types, medical costs by state and more.

Shredmo - 4/10/2008 4:15:27 PM

+1 Boost

This info is worthless without a comparison of another age group. Is $34 billion a lot compared to what damage 41-43 year old driver cause? With better education, all age groups will drive better, thus reducing losses. Duh AAA.

olscuul - 4/10/2008 9:12:41 PM

+1 Boost

what a stupid comment.
i dare you to drive along with my kid who just got their permit out for a drive, as compared to a 41-43 year old with years of driving experience. you would piss your knickers.

Shredmo - 4/11/2008 9:57:19 AM

+1 Boost

olscuul,
If they put a $ number on a different driving demographic, then the article would be worth a crap. To break this down that is called a comparison. You clearly read what I wrote, but failed to try and comprehend what was being said. Typical behavior here though.

Oh no, $34 billion!!!!! In America, we spend more than this on toilet paper annually.

Not surprised your son drives like crap based on the imput he is getting from his father.

Shredmo - 4/11/2008 9:58:28 AM

+1 Boost

*Input*

Bmw8ter - 4/10/2008 10:23:09 PM

+4 Boost

How about a study for people ages 21-25? My stupida** brother-in-law, just totalled his Mazda because he let some drunk girl(21 y/o) drive his car, while him and his gf were in the backseat, drunk.

Luckily, they all "walked away" with only minor injuries.

olscuul - 4/11/2008 6:07:03 PM

0 Boost

shredmo. i forgot how math challenged many people are, so i will break it down for you.
34 billions dollars. divide that by the us population, a bit over 300 million. that works out to about $110 per person. i don't need to compare that number to anything else to know it is a bad number.
if you are spending over $100 a year on toilet paper, i think you need to visit a doctor or psychologist.

MadibaP - 4/12/2008 5:05:55 AM

+1 Boost

the driving age should be 18, and like Germany that should be a 2 year probation license requiring L plates on the car front and back so the police can spot them instantly. Ant offense at all in the 2 year period should result in th loss of the license and require the driver to re-enter the program from the beginning. All alcohol limit infringements should carry a 5 year license ban, first offense, along with 6 months imprisonment second offense as a mandatory sentence.

MadibaP - 4/12/2008 5:08:26 AM

+2 Boost

olscuul

It costs the US government $18 to buy a roll of toilet paper. Send the psychologist over to the Hill asap...

Hatemachine777 - 4/12/2008 4:40:45 PM

+1 Boost

I think you should be 18 before you can get a two year probationary license. In that two years if you have an at fault accident or a moving violation you must attend a remedial driver's training class and restart your probationary time. To prepare teens for this the TSA should set a course for drivers ed and make it mandatory for graduation. Students that quit school should be required to take a private drivers class at their own expense that conforms to above mentioned guidelines. Then we revamp the driving test. 5 or 10 minutes driving around the block and a short written test is not nearly enough to determine ones ability at handling a two ton piece of machinery that's capable of speeds in the triple digits.
In addition I think that everyone should have to retake the driving test every five years and then every two years after age 60.