Life matters: The initial impact of Delaware's graduated drivers licensing program

Motor vehicle crashes are the most common cause of death among teenagers in the United States and the leading cause of teen death in the State of Delaware. This includes all deaths occurring to teens who are drivers and passengers. There are many risk factors associated with teenagers and motor vehicle crashes. In an attempt to address this alarming problem, the State of Delaware enacted a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program in 1999. While this program is designed to address the high crash rates among teenage drivers, its initial impact has never been explored.; This research study presents descriptive findings about teenage motor vehicle crashes in the State of Delaware from 1998 through 2003 and examines the initial impact Delaware's Graduated Driver Licensing Program. In 2003, Delaware experienced a 14.6% reduction in motor vehicle crashes involving Delaware licensed teenage drivers (16-19 year-olds). This reduction represents a significant decrease in teenage motor vehicle crashes in the State of Delaware.