WASHINGTON, D.C.—Speeding is a primary culprit in a third of fatal crashes involving teen drivers, according to a new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association. “Speeding-Related Fatal Crashes Among Teen Drivers and Opportunities for Reducing the Risks,” authored by Dr. Susan Ferguson, states that speeding as a contributor in fatal teen driver crashes has inched up over the past decade from 30 percent in 2000 to 33 percent in 2011 while total teen fatalities have gone down dramatically during that same period. From 2000 to 2011, 19,447 fatal crashes of teen drivers were speeding-related. The report was funded through a grant from State Farm.
Dr. Ferguson, former senior vice president of research for the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, stressed, “Curbing teen speeding is vital since no other age group has a higher crash risk. Speeding is a common factor in the fatal crashes of teen male and female drivers.” Dr. Ferguson continued, “Speeding is more prevalent among teen males, at night, and in the presence of other teen passengers. When three or more teen passengers are in a vehicle driven by a 16-year-old male, almost half of their fatal crashes are speeding-related.”
Despite its significant role, speeding is not getting the attention it deserves and must be addressed if further progress is to be made in the area of teen driving safety. Increases in speed limits in many states coupled with a general belief that speeding is acceptable also exacerbate the problem. Dr. Ferguson notes, “Unless speeding is recognized as a dangerous behavior, much the same as drunk driving, addressing it will be difficult.”
The report offers the following tips to parents.
Top 5 Tips for Parents:
Have serious discussions about the importance of observing all traffic laws, demonstrate by example, and establish family rules and consequences for breaking laws.
Avoid allowing teens to have primary access to a vehicle for at least the first year of independent driving.
Make safety the primary consideration when selecting a car.
Consider the many options for in-vehicle speed monitoring devices both in the after-market and increasingly as original vehicle equipment.
Consider participation in incentive-based insurance programs that monitor usage, braking/acceleration, and/or speed.
Researchers noted that despite public resistance toward some of these tools, all show promise for addressing teen-related speeding. Access full report.