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Traffic safety professionals are tasked with the complexities of finding ways to change behavior. Significant progress has been made in addressing several risky behaviors like not wearing a seat belt and driving aggressively resulting in fewer people engaging in these behaviors. However, a small portion of the population (i.e., about 10 percent) still does not […]
As marijuana laws change around the country, the use of marijuana edibles is rising. But a lot of people don’t know the risks. Do you? Take this quiz to find out. Our thanks to justthinktwice.com.
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) systems were designed to protect young novice drivers by creating a safe environment in which to learn to drive and limit exposure to known high-risk conditions until the drivers have amassed at least several months of experience driving. A large body of research has found that GDL systems have substantially reduced […]
Crash involvement by 16- and 17-year-old drivers has decreased substantially over the past 15 years. This is largely due to the widespread adoption of Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs and to the Great Recession, which substantially reduced driving by young teenagers. However, with one exception—New Jersey—GDL systems apply only to new drivers younger than 18, […]
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children, teenagers, and young adults in the United States (Subramanian, 2012). Graduated driver licensing (GDL) systems, first introduced in the United States in 1996, are designed to protect young novice drivers by restricting exposure to risk initially and then gradually phasing in increased privileges as […]
Obtaining a driver’s license was once widely regarded as a “rite of passage” for teenagers in the United States. However, only 36% of young people surveyed in 2012 by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported having obtained their first driver’s license at or before the age of 16 and only 54% reported having done […]
The goal of this report is the improvement of traffic safety by mitigating young-driver (aged 16-20) risk-taking. We recognize that there is a wide range of problematic risky behaviors in addition to, or separate from, risk-taking while driving. A significant number of young people are identified and in need of direct help to address serious […]
This week – and every week, parents should have conversations with their teens about the important rules they need to follow to stay safe behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. These rules address the greatest dangers for teen drivers: distracted driving (texting while driving) impaired driving (alcohol and drugs) inconsistent or no seat belt […]
It’s nearing the end of August. Gone are the days of lounging by the pool or on the beach, or running around and playing outside. Soon, crowds of children will be waiting on the street corner for their school bus to arrive. It’s almost Labor Day, and the back-to-school season is upon us. ‘Tis the […]
From 2007 to 2016, fatalities of young drivers (15-20 years old) have declined by nearly 40% (NCSA, 2018). Despite that large reduction, overall, young drivers are still overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes. While these crashes are devastating for the teen drivers and their families, it is also important to understand the impact that these crashes […]