Study Rates States with Best and Worst Conditions for Teenage Drivers
Which states offer the best environments for teenage drivers? It’s an important question, because looking out for the wellbeing of teens behind the wheel is a major priority for parents and government authorities alike.
More kids between the ages of 16 and 19 die in motor-vehicle crashes than from any other cause. And even when an accident isn’t fatal, it can lead to costly medical bills, repair bills, insurance premiums, and other financial consequences.
As a way to help parents keep teens safe on the road, the financial website WalletHub collected data from all 50 states on teen driving safety, economic factors, and road laws, then crunched the numbers to determine which locations provide the most secure environments for young drivers.
Overall, WalletHub found that Maryland is the safest state for teen drivers, with New York, Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Texas rounding out the top five.
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Wyoming is the most dangerous state for teen drivers, followed by South Dakota, Missouri, Arizona, and Montana.
Among the report’s other findings:
- Vermont has the lowest percentage of teen driver fatalities, and Wyoming and Alabama have the highest.
- Delaware has the lowest percentage of teen DUIs, and South Dakota has the highest.
- New York ranked highest for teen driver safety, Michigan ranked highest for its economic environment, and Washington ranked highest for its driving laws.
To determine its rankings, WalletHub analyzed 23 metrics in its three major categories. The safety category included factors like teen fatalities, traffic violations, and driving schools per capita. The economic environment category took into account factors including speeding ticket cost, car repair cost, and the cost of adding a teen driver to an insurance policy. The driving laws category included factors like a state’s graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws, impaired-driving laws, and consequences for texting while driving.
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News Source: WalletHub
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