Hours After-School Dangerous for Teen Drivers

October 2006

Parents of teenage drivers worry most about weekend nights, but evidence shows that after-school hours are just as, if not more, dangerous.

According to AAA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

1,100 deaths occurred in accidents involving 16 and 17 year-olds from 3 to 5 p.m. on weekdays in 2002-2005.
1,237 deaths occurred in accidents involving 16 and 17 year-olds from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
For overall traffic deaths, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. has been the deadliest period of time since 1993.
Drivers aged 16 to 20 were involved in 1.8 million crashes resulting in 8,535 deaths in 2004.

Steps parents and states are taking to reduce these troubling statistics include:

Parental rules such as no cell phones, no friends in the car, and mandatory seat belt use.
Graduating license programs that give young drivers more responsibility as they gain experience.
Laws limiting the use of cell phones and other devices.

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Source: “After-school peril for teen drivers.” By Larry Copeland. USA Today. October 25, 2006.