What’s Going On
With Teen Driver Safety?
Gordy Pehrson
Youth Traffic Safety & Alcohol Coordinator
Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety
Teen crashes have predictable
& preventable patterns:
• BASIC DRIVING
ERRORS & SPEEDING:
Teens are prone to making simple driving errors, often
while speeding.
• NIGHTTIME DRIVING:
Teens are twice as likely to crash at night.
• TO
and FROM SCHOOL:
Especially after school, usually with other teens in the car.
• TEEN
PASSENGERS:
Promotes risk-taking behaviors & increases distractions.
In 2009:
 Teens made up just 6.7% of the
licensed drivers, but 12.1% of
the crash-involved drivers.
 By contrast, drivers age 65+
made up 15.4% of the driving
population, but just 7.9% of the
crash-involved drivers.
Licensed MN. 16 & 17 Year Olds
120,000
118,000
116,000
117,286
116,829
114,000
114,215
112,000
111,265
110,000
108,000
107,676
106,438
106,000
104,000
102,000
100,000
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Crashes Involving 16 & 17 Year Old Minnesota Drivers
12,000
11,002
10,203
10,000
9,247
8,750
7,766
8,000
7,090
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Since 2004, the % of licensed 16 & 17 year old drivers
that were involved in crashes decreased by 2.7%.
10
9.5
9.4
9
8.7
8.5
8.1
7.9
8
7.5
7.2
7
6.7
6.5
6
5.5
5
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Fatal Crashes Involving Teen Drivers (16 – 19)
Minnesota 2005 - 2009
42
42
50% of those killed were the teen
driver or their teen passengers.
All
Teen
Drivers
Teen
Passengers
Others
As of August 23, 2010
27 Teens (16 to 19)
have been killed on Minnesota Roadways.
Yearly Totals
2009: 35
2008: 31
2007: 41
2006: 65
2005: 63
2004: 76
Vanessa’s Law
An Unlicensed or Provisionally Licensed Teen
Driver, that is Revoked from:
 A crash-related violation, or
 An alcohol/controlled substance violation –
(DWI, Implied Consent, Open Bottle, Not-a-Drop)…..
Cannot obtain or regain a license until age 18
Graduated Driver License (GDL) System
Allows novice drivers to build experience by limiting
their progression toward unrestricted driving privileges.
• Three stages of licensing:
A. Instruction Permit
B. Provisional
C. Unrestricted
• Encourages beginners to obtain on-road driving experience
risk
under conditions of lower risk, and keep them out of high
situations.
• Addresses high risk driving elements in the highest risk period
– right after licensure.
PERMIT STAGE
OPTIMAL SYTEM
• Minimum Six-months
• No At-Fault Crashes
• No Moving Violations
• Driver Education
• No Cell, Text, Internet
• Practice 50-hours (night)
MINNESOTA
= Minimum Six-months
= No At-Fault Crashes
= No Moving Violations
= Driver Education
= No Cell, Text, Internet
- Practice 30-hours (10 night)
PROVISIONAL STAGE
OPTIMAL SYSTEM
• Provisional Until Age 18
MINNESOTA
- Provisional Until Age 17
• Minimum Age 16.5
- Minimum Age 16
• Prohibited 9 pm – 5 am
- Prohibited 12 am - 5 am
(unless supervised)
• No passengers U-21
for 6 - mo’s (unless
supervised)
• No Cell, Text, Internet
(unless supervised 21+)
- ONE Passenger* U-21
for 6-mo’s (without parent)
+ 3 Passengers* U-21
for next 6-mo’s (without parent)
= No Cell, Text, Internet
* Driver’s Siblings Allowed
UNRESTRICTED STAGE
OPTIMAL SYSTEM
• Minimum Age 18
MINNESOTA
- Minimum Age 17
Instruction Permit or Provisional License:
Driver may not use a cell-phone,
whether hand-held or hands-free,
when the vehicle is in operation.
Primary Offense = (Probable Cause)
Moving Violation = (Driving Record)
Texting, Internet Law, M.S. 169.475
Aug, 08:
It’s illegal for drivers of all ages
to compose, read, or send text messages or
access the internet while on the road.
Primary Offense = (Probable Cause)
Moving Violation = (Driving Record)
Talking on a cell phone leads to a 4X greater chance
of crashing –
(The same as driving at a .08 blood alcohol level!)
Texting leads to an 8X greater chance of crashing –
A 16-year-old driver who adds ONE passenger,
increases their risk of death by 39%;
• by 86% with TWO passengers,
• by 282% with THREE passengers.
(Journal of the American Medical Assoc.)
Not-a-Drop Law M.S. 169A.33
It is illegal for a person under age 21 to operate a
motor vehicle after drinking alcohol.
This means ANY AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL!
Consequences:
• Loss of Driving Privileges, Fines
• Re-training
• Insurance Costs
If 0.08 or more, regular DWI laws apply.
Insurance Rates:
Male Good Student, Age 16 2006 Chevrolet Cavalier
Clean Record
One Ticket
DWI
Monthly Premium
$131.57
$148.82
$484.02
6-Month Premium
$804.40
$907.90
$2,919.10
Female Good Student, Age 16
2006 Chevrolet Cavalier
Clean Record
One Ticket
DWI
Monthly Premium
$87.77
$103.12
$382.97
6-Month Premium
$541.60
$633.70
$2,312.80
Why Do These Teen Driving
Laws Exist?
• To provide guidance for parents.
• To protect our youth, families, friends and
others.
•
TO SAVE LIVES!
Some say these teen driving laws are
“INCONVENIENT”
This may be true………………………..,
but,
I CAN’T THINK OF ANYTHING MORE
“INCONVENIENT”
THAN BURYING MY CHILD!
Contact Information:
Gordy Pehrson
MN. Dept. of Public Safety, Office of Traffic Safety
444 cedar Street, Suite 150
St. Paul, MN. 55101-5150
PH: (651) 201-7072
E-mail: gordy.pehrson@state.mn.us
Web Site: www.dps.state.mn.us/ots