Getting a driver’s license is an exciting rite of passage for teenagers — but it also carries a high level of risk. Statistics show that teen drivers have an unusually high rate of accidents and fatalities compared to other age groups, thanks to their lack of on-road experience. However, teen driver safety may be trending upward, with fewer fatalities observed in 2022 compared to previous years. For newly licensed teens and their parents, understanding the statistics on teen driving can help to inform safe practices behind the wheel.
10 facts and stats about teen driving
These statistics on teenage driving may help you understand the potential issues young drivers can run into:
- Teen drivers aged 15-19 made up 3.6 percent of licensed drivers in the U.S. as of 2022. (U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration)
- Teen drivers accounted for 7 percent of all fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2022 — a total of 2,883, or nearly eight per day. (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety – IIHS)
- The fatal crash rate for teen drivers peaks at age 19, with a rate of 9.4 driver deaths and 4.6 passenger deaths per 100k miles. (IIHS)
- Male drivers make up about 69 percent of the teen crash fatality rate, with 1,980 motor vehicle crash deaths in 2022 compared to just 897 for female teen drivers. (IIHS)
- In 2022, more drivers aged 15 to 20 were speeding at the time of fatal accidents than any other age group. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA)
- Drivers aged 15 to 20 made up 9 percent of all distracted drivers and 11 percent of drivers using cell phones in fatal traffic accidents in 2022, despite making up just 8 percent of drivers in fatal crashes overall. (NHTSA)
- In 2022, teen traffic fatalities peaked in October, with the lowest rate of deaths in January and February. (IIHS)
- Thirty-seven percent of all teen traffic fatalities in 2022 took place on a Saturday or Sunday. (IIHS)
- Forty-five percent of all teen traffic fatalities in 2022 took place between the hours of 9 pm. and 6 a.m. (IIHS)
- Motor vehicle crashes were a leading cause of death in 2022 for individuals aged 15 to 24. (CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control)
Common causes of teenage car crashes
Teen driving statistics show that a number of factors contribute to the increased likelihood of a crash — not just one or two. By understanding the common causes, parents can talk to their teens about how each situation might be avoided.
- Distracted driving. Distracted driving includes any behavior that takes a driver’s eyes and focus off the road, such as eating, drinking, texting, applying makeup or smoking. Among drivers aged 15-20 involved in fatal crashes, 6 percent were distracted. However, the number of distracted young drivers involved in fatal crashes decreased by nearly 20 percent from 2021 to 2022. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA)
- Texting and driving. Texting is a form of distracted driving that is unfortunately very prevalent among teen drivers. Although most states have laws banning texting while driving, a 2019 study found that 39 percent of teens admitted to texting while driving. (CDC)
- Speeding. Teen drivers are more likely than other age groups to speed and drive too closely to the car in front of them. In 2022, 35 percent of male drivers and 19 percent of female drivers involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the incident. (NHTSA)
- Drunk driving. Alcohol use by underage drivers leads to a high number of fatal crashes. In 2022, alcohol was involved in 22 percent of fatal crashes among drivers aged 16-17 and 31 percent of crashes among drivers aged 18 to 20. (IIHS)
- Inexperience. Lack of experience behind the wheel is a significant factor for teen drivers, with many lacking the confidence and knowledge to handle certain driving situations. Newly licensed drivers have the least experience and the highest crash rate among teens. The crash rate per mile driven is 1.5 times higher for 16-year-olds than 18- and 19-year-olds. (CDC)
- Seat belts. Teen drivers are less likely to wear seat belts. Of all the fatal crashes recorded in 2022, over half of teen drivers aged 15-20 were found to be unrestrained. (NHTSA)
- Nighttime driving. The CDC notes driving at night is riskier for drivers of all ages, but especially teen drivers, which could be due to limited visibility, fatigue or impairment. Data shows that in 2022, 45 percent of fatal crashes among teens aged 13-19 occurred between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. (IIHS)
- Peer passengers. While teens may look forward to driving with their friends, doing so can be dangerous. Having another teen or young adult in the car with a teen driver increases the chances of a crash. (CDC)
Most dangerous driving times for teenage drivers
Driving at night between midnight and 3 a.m., particularly on a Saturday or Sunday, puts teens at a higher risk of a crash. In fact, starting around noon each day, a teen’s risk for a deadly crash steadily increases, probably because there are more people on the road. Overnight, poor visibility, fatigue and the presence of impaired drivers on the road all increase the chances of a serious crash.
Weekends are also more dangerous for teen driving, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all teen traffic fatalities in 2022. Regardless of the time of day, drivers are more likely to travel new routes on weekends rather than a familiar daily commute, and for teen drivers, weekend driving may introduce new distractions if they are traveling with friends in the car.
Teen driver safety trends may also shift with the school year, with the fall semester seeing the highest average rate of deaths compared to both the spring semester and the summer. The 2022 IIHS data below may help teens and parents understand the role that different times, days of the week and seasonal traffic patterns all play in safer teen driving.
Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by time of day
| Time of day | Deaths | % of total deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Midnight – 3 a.m. | 426 | 15% |
| 3 a.m. – 6 a.m. | 274 | 10% |
| 6 a.m. – 9 a.m. | 259 | 9% |
| 9 a.m. – noon | 190 | 7% |
| Noon – 3 p.m. | 270 | 9% |
| 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. | 414 | 14% |
| 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. | 456 | 16% |
| 9 p.m. – midnight | 573 | 20% |
Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by day of week
| Day of week | Deaths | % of total deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 341 | 12% |
| Tuesday | 353 | 12% |
| Wednesday | 385 | 13% |
| Thursday | 342 | 12% |
| Friday | 379 | 13% |
| Saturday | 529 | 18% |
| Sunday | 554 | 19% |
Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by month
| Month | Deaths | % of total deaths |
|---|---|---|
| January | 165 | 6% |
| February | 195 | 7% |
| March | 248 | 9% |
| April | 227 | 8% |
| May | 240 | 8% |
| June | 229 | 8% |
| July | 267 | 9% |
| August | 267 | 9% |
| September | 254 | 9% |
| October | 299 | 10% |
| November | 250 | 9% |
| December | 242 | 8% |
To better understand where fatal teen crashes happen, we leveraged crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In the table below, you can see a breakdown of the percentage of fatalities in accidents that involved drivers aged 15 to 20 in 2022 in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. We’ve also calculated the change in the number of fatalities involving young drivers in each state to indicate which states may be seeing a downward trend in teen driver safety relative to other age groups.
Teen driving safety tips and resources
Teen crash statistics can be scary to look at. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources to help parents and guardians educate both themselves and their teen drivers on improving their safety on the road.
- Talk to your teen about safe driving habits. Teens learn a lot during the driver’s education process, but having continued discussions with your teen about lifelong driver safety may be helpful. You may want to review the CDC’s Parent-Teen Driving Agreement to level-set on what constitutes good driving behavior and habits.
- Understand the laws and plan for next steps. Each state has its own graduated driver licensing laws that determine what times of day teens can be out on the road, when they can graduate to the next license phase and if they can drive with passengers in the car. Before your teen starts driving, you may want to discuss a timeline of events, expectations for driving schedules and what they can do to prepare for each new phase.
- Be a good driving role model for your teen driver. Demonstrating safe driving habits in front of your teen may encourage them to follow in your footsteps. This means putting away distractions while driving, obeying the rules of the road and monitoring road conditions for potential safety hazards. For more tips on how to demonstrate safe driving, you may want to check out the CDC’s eight danger zones of driving.
- Get familiar with your car. Knowing how to adjust the mirrors and seat, where the windshield wiper lever is and how to monitor the odometer may eliminate unnecessary distractions and help your teen feel more confident.
- Review your insurance policy. A higher risk of accidents means a greater need for coverage for your vehicle and medical expenses. Before you add a teen to your car insurance, review your policy and consider adding higher liability limits, collision coverage and personal injury protection or medical payments coverage (if you don’t already have them).
Keep in mind that having a teenager in your household can increase the cost of car insurance. Research auto insurance discounts and compare rates often when you have a teen driver on your policy to ensure that you’re getting the best possible rates.
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