New York State Ranked #1 In Nation For Teen Driver Safety

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 11, 2023

NEW YORK STATE RANKED #1 IN NATION FOR TEEN DRIVER SAFETY

Study Ranked New York #2 Overall for Best State for Teen Drivers

Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Hosts 2nd Teen Driving Solutions Training Program

 A recent nationwide survey that examined the teen-driving environment in each of the 50 states using a collection of 23 key metrics ranked New York State the safest in the nation for teen drivers. The study also found that New York had the fewest teen driver fatalities per teen population and ranked New York second overall in the nation when factoring in all key metrics.

“This ranking is a testament to the time and care that families, schools, DMV and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee take to get young drivers ready for the road,” said DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Getting a driver’s license is an important step in life and when we can teach young people to drive safely from the beginning, we know they are much more likely to carry those skills into adulthood.”

Conducted by WalletHub, the survey analyzed key factors in the areas of safety, economic environment and driving laws. Data used to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, EverQuote, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The Road Information Program, CarMD, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, CarInsurance.com, the Governors Highway Safety Association, American Automobile Association and WalletHub research.

As part of the State’s on-going effort to educate and train young drivers, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) has partnered with Teen Driving Solutions to conduct an industry-leading, two-day teen driving safety training, back in May. GTSC held a second event September 30 to October 1 at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany. Plans are underway to work on scheduling additional sessions around the state in the coming months.

Funded by a grant from the national Governors Highway Safety Association and Ford Motor Company, the Teen Driving Solutions program combines classroom and behind the wheel training for teens and their parents to build upon driver education and to improve teens’ defense driving skills.

Since 2003, New York State has seen an 80 percent reduction in fatal motor vehicle crashes where a young driver was involved, based on 2017 data. Personal injury crashes involving young drivers have decreased by 61 percent due to effort by the New York State traffic safety community.

In addition to the Teen Driving Solutions program, GTSC sponsors and implements initiatives throughout the year directly targeting teens and young drivers. The “No Empty Chair” teen driving safety, education and enforcement campaign raises awareness of highway dangers in the hope there will be no empty chairs during prom and graduation season. Above and beyond educating students about safe driving through this campaign, state and local law enforcement increase patrols near local high schools throughout the state, and officers are vigilant in enforcing violations of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) law.

The GDL is intended to provide time for young drivers to gain critical experience in various traffic scenarios in a safe and controlled manner. Parents, caregivers, educators, and teens can find more information about the Graduated Driver Licensing Law on the GTSC website.

Through an ongoing partnership with NASCAR driver Ross Chastain and GTSC’s Protect Your Melon initiative, GTSC and Chastain visit high schools throughout the state each year to demonstrate the importance of seat belt safety to young people who are often the least likely to properly use and wear seat belts. GTSC also works closely with Students Against Drunk Driving and sponsors a Coaches Care program which both utilize peers and teen mentors to spread critical safety information to young New Yorkers.

Finally, the GTSC provides many resources for teens and parents, including a young driver’s tool kit, on its website. These helpful resources can be used in homes and schools to supplement the other ongoing programs the GTSC offers for teen drivers.

For more information about DMV and the requirements for teen drivers, visit trafficsafety.ny.gov or follow the conversation online at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

 

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