Senior Research Scientist Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Background: Despite Graduated Driver Licensing laws, young drivers remain disproportionately involved in motor vehicle crashes (a leading cause of injury and mortality) and crash risk is highest early in licensure. Given that driver error appears to be a root cause, this is one of the most significant, yet preventable, public health problems facing US adolescents. Driver training is the most modifiable risk factor pre-licensure, whereby state policy can mandate completion of behind-the-wheel training before licensure, and recent research suggests such mandates may reduce young novice driver crash risk. However, the requirements for driver training before an intermediate license vary from state to state. Objective: To categorize states according to variation in driver training mandates prior to intermediate licensure, and determine whether these mandates are truly required (or deviations are allowed). Design/Methods: First, we examined each state’s online information for those seeking an intermediate license using the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety database of licensing laws in all 50 states. Second, we also examined each state’s statutes regarding licensing requirements. We categorize states by a requirement for “Supervised driving” (anyone under age 18 years seeking an intermediate license must first complete supervised driving hours with an adult), and “Require BTW” (anyone under age 18 years seeking an intermediate license must first complete BTW without an opportunity for replacement). We noted where deviations (or opting out) was allowed for both requirements also. Results: Most states (45) require a driver to be at least 16 years of age to obtain an intermediate license, and the majority (43) also require some form of either supervised driving (41 states) and/or BTW driving experience (31 states) before obtaining that license. Not surprisingly, the majority of states that do not require supervised driving also do not require BTW training (7 out of 9). In total, 19 states do not require BTW training, and 7 of those do not require any driving experience. The remaining 12 rely exclusively on adult supervised training that is difficult to verify.
Conclusion(s): Nearly 1 in 5 states have minimal driver training requirements for licensure. Clinicians should be aware that although their patients may be licensed, they may be ill prepared for safe driving. This presentation will highlight states that have major weaknesses in preparing teens to drive safely and characteristics of those states in terms of rurality and poverty. Policy implications will be discussed.
