In a world in which news is rarely happy, here’s a bit of good news from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): the fatal accident rate among teen drivers is actually declining. This could very well have an impact on auto insurance rates for this age group.
What The Report Revealed
It is well-known that automobile accidents are the leading cause of deaths among young people 16 and 17 years old; although most of these are single-car crashes, they account for 33% of all fatalities in this age group. For this reason, insurers place young drivers in the high risk auto insurance pool – which is very expensive compared to say, the cost to insure a married woman of 35.
CDC researchers studied figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Report System (FARS) between 2004 and 2008. Over this four-year period, there were over 9,600 traffic fatalities among 16 and 17-year-olds nationwide. However, most of these fatal accidents occurred at the beginning of this period, when the traffic death rate was over 27 out of every 100,000 people.
By 2008, this figure had dropped to less than 10 – representing a decrease of 38%.
An Ongoing Trend?
This decrease in teen traffic fatalities is an ongoing trend that has continued since 1996. However, when examined on a state-by-state basis, the figures vary a great deal. The lowest rates over a five-year period were in New York (people in New York City are not allowed to get a driver’s license at all until the age of 18 unless they complete an approved driving course). The highest fatality rates, ironically, were in the most sparsely populated state – Wyoming, where the fatality rate among teens was almost 60 out of every 100,000 people statewide (keep in mind that the total population of Wyoming is just over half a million).
How It Is Happening
A large part of the reason is believed to be economic. Over the past ten years as vicious class warfare has been waged by the top two percent against working people and more and more wealth is forcibly transferred from working people to the investor class, it becomes increasingly difficult for young people to afford the costs associated with owning and operating an automobile; even cheap insurance for young drivers is a serious burden. However, the other part of the equation has to do with tightening motor vehicle laws, particularly in those states that have graduated requirements. This means that driving privileges for youngsters are severely restricted, and only increased as the teen demonstrates maturity and responsibility.
Young people can lower the costs of student car insurance by maintaining high academic standards; most insurance companies offer discounts for superior grades (generally a “B” average or better).
The complete CDC report is available on the agency website.
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