title: Driving experience, crashes and traffic citations of teenage beginning drivers.
abstract: Teenagers were surveyed by telephone every 6 months from their freshman to senior high school years (N=911). Self-reported crash involvements and citations were examined for each teenager's first year of licensure and first 3500 miles driven. Based on survival analysis, the risk of a first crash during the first month of licensure (0.053) was substantially higher than during any of the next 11 months (mean risk per month: 0.025). The likelihood of a first citation during the first month of licensure (0.023) also was higher than during any of the subsequent 11 months (mean risk per month: 0.012). Similarly, when viewed as a function of cumulative miles driven, the risk of a first crash or citation was highest during the first 500 miles driven after licensure. Fewer parental restrictions (e.g. no nighttime curfew) and a lower grade point average (GPA) were associated with a higher crash risk. Male gender, a lower GPA and living in a rural area were associated with a higher citation rate.
authors.affiliation: Preusser Research Group Inc., 7100 Main Street, Trumbull, CT 06611, USA. a.mccartt@att.net
authors.forename: Anne T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: McCartt
authors.forename: Veronika I
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Shabanova
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Leaf
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D001333:Automobile Driver Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008004:Licensure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors