A recently released report by the Governors Highway Safety Association revealed that the number of 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths increased slightly for the first six months in 2011.
Preliminary data that was provided by all 50 states and the District of Columbia showed that 16- and 17-year-old driver deaths increased from 190 during the same period in 2010 to 211 in the first six months of 2011, which is an 11 percent increase.
"While it is good news that overall deaths appear to have declined during the first six months of 2011, we are concerned that the trend with teens is going in the opposite direction," said Troy Costales, chairman of GHSA. "As the report notes, a widespread strengthening of laws is still possible and finding effective tools outside of GDL is an important goal. These include improving driver education and involving parents in proactively establishing safe driving habits for their teens."
The report came out following the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projection that motor vehicle deaths for the first six months of 2011 declined 0.9 percent.
Parents worried about their teenagers driving new vehicles, might consider applying for an auto loan to purchase cheap cars that are dependable and safe in the event of an accident. Finding a used vehicle might be more difficult now, with consumers holding on to vehicles longer than they have in the past, according to a recent analysis by Polk.
