ABSTRACT
Teen driver crashes are a threat to public health. Novice teen driver crash rates and deaths in the United States and other developed countries have consistently dropped in the last 30 years, indicating the success of multipronged prevention efforts through behavior change (e.g., seat belt use), policy (e.g., graduated driver licensure [GDL], drinking-driving laws), and technology (e.g., safer vehicles). Experience behind the wheel contributes to skill acquisition for newly licensed drivers and has a strong influence on crash reduction in the first year of driving. Scenarios where teens crash include situations where they must integrate complex decision making, such as turning at intersections, following lead vehicles, and running off the road. In these and other types of scenarios, teens often commit an error or lack the skill to effectively avoid the crash. However, hazardous behaviors also contribute to crash risk, and the intersection between skill and adolescent risk taking needs to be better delineated in future research. Methodological challenges in deconstructing the factors contributing to teen driver crash patterns include difficulties with prospective data collection strategies and the lack of detail available in some crash data. Further research is also needed to bolster existing crash prevention efforts and develop new ones in order to prevent future deaths and injuries related to novice teen driver motor vehicle crashes.
