A national evaluation of graduated driver licensing laws in the United States

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws now exist in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in the United States. These GDL systems are designed to reduce the exposure of young novice drivers to risky situations (such as late-night driving and driving with other teen passengers when alcohol is likely to be involved). Our aims were to determine if (a) GDL laws reduce fatal crash involvements of novice drivers; (b) nighttime and passenger restrictions are effective components, especially in reducing fatal crashes involving young drinking drivers; and (b) there are differential effects of GDL laws based upon driver race and ethnicity. A longitudinal panel study and logistic regression analyses were used to meet the aims. The 1990-2007 Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data sets were used to determine if changes in crash involvements of young drivers and young drinking drivers were associated with the adoption of GDL laws. GDL laws with stricter components showed stronger relationships to fatal crash reductions (from 8 to 13%), and laws with weak components showed no reductions in crash involvements. Nighttime restrictions were found to reduce 16and 17-year-old driver involvements in nighttime fatal crashes by an estimated 10% and 16and 17-year-old drinking drivers in nighttime fatal crashes by 13%. Passenger restrictions were found to reduce novice driver involvements in fatal crashes with teen passengers by an estimated 9%. GDL reductions were largest for young White drivers, followed by African-Americans, and then Asians, with no significant reductions for young Hispanics. States without the nighttime or passenger restrictions in their GDL laws should strongly consider adopting them. The differential effects of GDL laws based on the race and ethnicity of young drivers needs further research.