A report from Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) shows a dramatic increase in deaths of teen drivers for the first half of 2012, based on preliminary data. During that period, deaths of 16- and 17-year-old drivers increased by 19% from 202 to 240.
According to the report, deaths of 16-year-old drivers increased from 86 to 107 (24%), while the number for 17-year-old drivers went from 116 to 133 (15%). Twenty-five states reported increases, 17 had decreases, and 8 states and the District of Columbia reported no change in the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths.
“Any increase in highway deaths is unacceptable, particularly among our teens,” says GHSA Chair Kendell Poole. “We know from research and experience that teen drivers are not only a danger to themselves, but also a danger to others on the roadways. So these numbers are a cause for concern.”