Teenagers | 2010

2010
All Fatality Facts topics

In every motorized country, teenage drivers represent a major hazard. In the United States, teenagers drive less than all but the oldest people, but their numbers of crashes and crash deaths are disproportionately high. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 2012. [Unpublished analysis of 2008 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Household Travel Survey, General Estimates System, and Fatality Analysis Reporting System]. Arlington, VA. In the United States, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16-19 year-olds is nearly 3 times the rate for drivers ages 20 and over. Risk is highest at ages 16-17. In fact, the fatal crash rate per mile driven is nearly twice as high for 16-17 year-olds as it is for 18-19 year-olds. Fatal crash rates for teenagers are high largely because of their immaturity combined with driving inexperience.

Beginning in the mid 1990s, more and more states have adopted graduated licensing systems, which phase in full driving privileges. In states that have adopted graduated licensing systems, the crash rates among teenage drivers have declined about 10-30 percent. Ulmer, R.G.; Preusser, D.F.; Williams, A.F.; Ferguson, S.A.; and Farmer, C.M. 2000. Effect of Florida's graduated licensing program on the crash rate of teenage drivers. Accident Analysis and Prevention 32:527-32. Shope, J.T. and Molnar, L.J. 2004. Michigan's graduated driver licensing program: evaluation of the first four years. Journal of Safety and Research 35:337-44. Foss, R.D.; Feaganes, J.R.; and Rodgman, E.A. 2001. Initial effects of graduated driver licensing on 16-year-old driver crashes in North Carolina. Journal of the American Medical Association 286:1588-92. Governor's Highway Safety Office. 2001. Review of Ohio's graduated driver license program. Columbus, OH: Ohio Department of Public Safety. Mayhew, D.R.; Simpson, H.M.; Des Groseilliers, M.; and Williams, A.F. 2001. Impact of the graduated driver licensing program in Nova Scotia. Journal of Crash Prevention and Injury Control 2:179-92. Zhu, M.; Chu, H.; and Li, G. 2009. Effects of graduated driver licensing on licensure and traffic injury rates in upstate New York. Accident Analysis and Prevention 41:531-35. Hallmark, S.L.; Veneziano, D.A.; Falb, S.; Pawlovich, M.; and Witt, D. 2008. Evaluation of Iowa's graduated driver's licensing program. Accident Analysis and Prevention 40:1401-05. National studies of graduated licensing laws have found that laws the Institute rated good were associated with substantially lower fatal crash rates among teen drivers, and substantially lower insurance claim rates, than laws rated poor. Strong restrictions on nighttime driving and teen passengers, as well as delayed licensing age, also reduced rates of fatal crashes and insurance collision claims. McCartt, A.T.; Teoh, E.R.; Fields, M.; Braitman, K.A.; and Hellinga, L.A. 2010. Graduated licensing laws and fatal crashes of teenage drivers: a national study. Traffic Injury Prevention 11:240-48. Trempel, R.E. 2009. Graduated driver licensing laws and insurance collision claim frequencies of teenage drivers. Arlington, VA: Highway Loss Data Institute.

The following facts are based on analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

Data subsections:

Trends

A total of 3,115 teenagers ages 13-19 died in motor vehicle crashes in 2010. This is 64 percent fewer than in 1975 and 10 percent fewer than in 2009. About 2 out of every 3 teenagers killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2010 were males. Since 1975 teenage motor vehicle crash deaths have decreased more among males (69 percent) than among females (51 percent).

Teenage motor vehicle deaths by gender, 1975-2010

Motor vehicle crash deaths among 13-19 year-olds by gender, 1975-2010
YearMale Female Total*
Number%Number%Number%
1975 6,532 75 2,215 25 8,748 100
1976 6,826 73 2,530 27 9,356 100
1977 6,983 72 2,650 28 9,633 100
1978 7,295 73 2,645 27 9,940 100
1979 7,280 73 2,639 27 9,920 100
1980 6,932 73 2,591 27 9,524 100
1981 6,014 72 2,301 28 8,315 100
1982 5,354 73 1,969 27 7,323 100
1983 4,850 71 1,955 29 6,805 100
1984 4,947 71 2,005 29 6,952 100
1985 4,715 70 2,022 30 6,737 100
1986 5,280 71 2,182 29 7,466 100
1987 5,107 70 2,186 30 7,293 100
1988 5,036 70 2,204 30 7,242 100
1989 4,528 68 2,158 32 6,688 100
1990 4,420 69 1,944 31 6,364 100
1991 3,891 68 1,867 32 5,760 100
1992 3,495 67 1,713 33 5,215 100
1993 3,678 68 1,742 32 5,421 100
1994 3,770 67 1,859 33 5,632 100
1995 3,702 65 1,970 35 5,675 100
1996 3,855 66 1,963 34 5,819 100
1997 3,715 65 2,014 35 5,730 100
1998 3,649 65 1,960 35 5,610 100
1999 3,745 65 2,007 35 5,752 100
2000 3,759 66 1,925 34 5,685 100
2001 3,735 67 1,859 33 5,594 100
2002 3,939 66 2,015 34 5,954 100
2003 3,772 66 1,946 34 5,718 100
2004 3,696 65 1,948 35 5,645 100
2005 3,496 66 1,803 34 5,300 100
2006 3,415 66 1,744 34 5,159 100
2007 3,280 66 1,701 34 4,981 100
2008 2,694 66 1,373 34 4,070 100
2009 2,222 64 1,257 36 3,480 100
2010 2,030 65 1,085 35 3,115 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

In 2010, teenagers accounted for 10 percent of motor vehicle crash deaths. They comprised 11 percent of passenger vehicle (cars, pickups, SUVs, and vans) occupant deaths among all ages, 7 percent of pedestrian deaths, 3 percent of motorcyclist deaths, 10 percent of bicyclist deaths, and 16 percent of all-terrain vehicle rider deaths.

US teenage and total population, 2010
Death typeTeen crash deathsCrash deaths for all ages% Teen crash deaths of all crash deaths
Passenger vehicle occupant 2,508 22,263 11
Pedestrian 292 4,280 7
Motorcyclist 137 4,309 3
Bicyclist 63 616 10
All-terrain vehicle riders 51 314 16
Other 64 1,103 6
Total* 3,115 32,885 10
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Eighty-one percent of teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2010 were passenger vehicle occupants. The others were pedestrians (9 percent), motorcyclists (4 percent), bicyclists (2 percent), riders of all-terrain vehicles (2 percent), and people in other kinds of vehicles (2 percent).

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by type and age, 2010
AgePassenger vehicle occupantsMotorcyclists Pedestrians Bicyclists All-terrain vehicle riders Other Total motor vehicle deaths*
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
13 67 67 3 3 18 18 6 6 4 4 2 2 100 100
14 93 63 4 3 29 20 11 7 4 3 7 5 148 100
15 137 63 6 3 37 17 12 6 14 6 12 6 218 100
16 354 85 7 2 33 8 8 2 6 1 9 2 417 100
17 473 82 18 3 48 8 12 2 13 2 13 2 577 100
18 707 85 39 5 60 7 6 1 5 1 10 1 827 100
19 677 82 60 7 67 8 8 1 5 1 11 1 828 100
Total 2,508 81 137 4 292 9 63 2 51 2 64 2 3,115 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

In 2010, the latest year for which data are available, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of death among 13-19 year-old males and females in the United States. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. 2012. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), 2010 fatal injury data. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/index.html.

Leading causes of death among teenagers by gender, 2010
Cause of deathMaleFemaleTotal
Motor vehicle crashes2,0301,0853,115
Homicide1,6482791,927
Suicide1,4594041,863
Malignant neoplasms462330792

Drivers and passengers in passenger vehicles

In 2010, 58 percent of deaths among passenger vehicle occupants ages 16-19 were drivers.

Passenger vehicle teenage occupant deaths by age and seating position, 2010
AgeDriver PassengerTotal*
Number%Number%Number%
13 6 9 61 91 67 100
14 3 3 90 97 93 100
15 25 18 112 82 137 100
16 158 45 196 55 354 100
17 250 53 221 47 473 100
18 438 62 267 38 707 100
19 434 64 240 35 677 100
Total 1,314 52 1,187 47 2,508 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Fifty-nine percent of teenage passenger deaths in 2010 occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. Among deaths of passengers of all ages, 17 percent occurred when a teenager was driving.

Passenger vehicle passenger deaths by passenger age and driver age, 2010
Passenger ageDriver AgeAll ages*
13-19 20-24 25-29 30-59 60-69 ≥70Unknown
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number
<13 50 8 111 17 139 21 326 50 17 3 7 1 2<1 653
13-19 704 59 232 20 48 4 180 15 12 1 5<1 6 1 1,187
20-24 144 15 491 52 171 18 130 14 1<1 1<1 7 1 945
25-29 26 5 146 27 178 33 183 34 4 1 1<1 8 1 546
30-59 96 6 182 11 197 12 945 60 107 7 33 2 26 2 1,587
60-69 12 3 14 3 17 4 151 37 144 35 72 17 2<1 412
≥70 2<1 11 1 12 1 220 25 143 16 506 57 1<1 895
Unknown 1 7 3 21 5 36 3 2100 1 7 1 7 14
All ages* 1,035 17 1,190 19 767 12 2,138 34 428 7 626 10 53 1 6,239
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

In 2010, belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-19 (44 percent) was higher than among fatally injured drivers ages 20-29 (36 percent) but lower than among drivers 30 and older combined (49 percent). Among fatally injured 16-19 year-old occupants, belt use among passengers (29 percent) was considerably lower than among drivers (44 percent). Note that belt use among those fatally injured is not always accurately recorded, but it gives an indication of relative belt use rates in serious crashes by age group.

Seat belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants by age and seating position, 2010
AgeDrivers Passengers
Belt usedUnknown Unbelted Belt usedUnknown Unbelted
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
13 1 1700 5 83 24 39 10 16 27 44
140000 3 100 32 36 9 10 49 54
15 8 32 2 8 15 60 47 42 13 12 52 46
16 77 49 9 6 72 46 59 30 16 9 121 62
17 113 45 20 8 117 47 71 32 20 9 130 59
18 203 46 37 8 198 45 75 28 26 10 166 62
19 169 39 32 7 233 54 60 25 34 14 146 61
20-24 830 38 179 8 1,179 54 283 30 81 9 581 61
25-29 539 34 135 8 927 58 145 27 55 10 346 63
30-59 2,964 43 523 7 3,481 50 588 37 118 7 881 56
60-69 880 56 109 7 592 37 256 62 25 6 131 32
≥70 1,500 65 165 7 655 28 632 71 44 5 219 24
Total* 7,287 46 1,214 8 7,481 47 2,578 41 504 8 3,077 49
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Among passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-19 involved in fatal crashes in 2010, 46 percent were involved in single-vehicle crashes. This was lower than for drivers ages 20-24 (48 percent) but higher than for drivers ages 25 and older (39 percent).

Passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes by age and crash type, 2010
Single vehicle Multiple vehicleAll crashes *
Number%Number%Number%
16-19 1,490 46 1,730 54 3,220 100
20-24 2,380 48 2,625 52 5,005 100
25-29 1,743 45 2,135 55 3,878 100
30-59 6,382 40 9,668 60 16,050 100
60-69 1,118 35 2,098 65 3,216 100
70+ 1,102 31 2,494 69 3,596 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Population and mileage rates

From 1975 to 2010, the rate of passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 people declined by 62 percent for teenagers ages 16-19 (from 47.6 to 18.1 per 100,000 people), 50 percent for people ages 20-34 (from 38.7 to 19.2 per 100,000 people), 42 percent for people ages 35-69 (from 20.5 to 12.0 per 100,000 people), and 16 percent for people 70 and older (from 15.4 to 12.9 per 100,000 people).

Passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 people by age group, 1975-2010
16-19 20-34 35-69 ≥70
PopulationNumberRatePopulationNumberRatePopulationNumberRatePopulationNumberRate
1975 17,016,355 8,09447.6 50,998,09819,71538.7 74,764,82915,32520.5 14,563,945 2,24915.4
1976 17,194,079 8,45749.2 52,745,00519,84737.6 75,419,92115,12720.1 14,960,120 2,39516.0
1977 17,276,153 8,96851.9 54,497,44821,53039.5 76,203,08315,71020.6 15,401,249 2,38715.5
1978 17,287,835 9,29753.8 55,909,06323,28441.6 77,348,22216,32321.1 15,876,541 2,52415.9
1979 17,242,116 9,24053.6 57,499,19723,99141.7 78,311,10716,07520.5 16,388,617 2,38614.6
1980 17,112,117 8,63750.5 58,814,39123,95740.7 79,111,52216,00220.2 16,897,977 2,37514.1
1981 16,756,984 7,80046.5 60,563,41623,75739.2 79,785,59116,13120.2 17,322,714 2,48714.4
1982 16,280,287 6,50940.0 61,099,52420,84834.1 81,488,90214,49117.8 17,783,888 2,52214.2
1983 15,783,684 6,25339.6 61,840,15419,95532.3 82,861,20414,45917.4 18,233,751 2,57414.1
1984 15,257,750 6,46442.4 62,491,25520,96333.5 84,256,66115,07917.9 18,662,938 2,77014.8
1985 14,969,843 6,27641.9 62,961,15420,83533.1 85,628,41015,26517.8 19,072,785 3,00515.8
1986 14,981,380 7,01746.8 63,115,88922,00834.9 87,205,53715,73618.0 19,463,480 3,23516.6
1987 15,172,917 7,02146.3 63,032,29822,38735.5 88,808,04616,74718.9 19,890,817 3,37617.0
1988 15,159,185 7,24947.8 62,784,73922,36535.6 90,464,40617,50019.3 20,302,280 3,62217.8
1989 14,874,579 6,90646.4 62,494,05621,27334.0 92,250,76217,77919.3 20,719,397 3,63117.5
1990 14,424,509 6,35644.1 62,282,68320,71333.3 94,140,10817,57918.7 21,164,283 3,68817.4
1991 13,935,348 5,71841.0 62,025,75019,07330.8 96,068,11116,36617.0 21,751,897 3,76917.3
1992 13,720,071 5,23138.1 61,427,10017,84629.1 98,214,53916,37716.7 22,321,217 3,83417.2
1993 13,874,164 5,43439.2 60,582,33217,69129.2 100,399,64817,02417.0 22,800,673 4,14618.2
1994 14,128,177 5,77340.9 59,629,35117,67229.6 102,541,52517,51417.1 23,243,845 4,32518.6
1995 14,401,118 5,87440.8 58,712,40717,91130.5 104,712,32818,86818.0 23,693,757 4,50519.0
1996 14,907,191 6,02140.4 57,753,91017,73830.7 106,975,95319,26518.0 24,056,323 4,56319.0
1997 15,257,453 5,94739.0 57,046,56916,84729.5 109,232,42619,70818.0 24,408,817 4,82319.8
1998 15,649,272 5,93837.9 56,421,05316,27028.8 111,331,19520,03118.0 24,793,551 4,80819.4
1999 15,927,464 6,15838.7 55,961,40116,15428.9 113,451,31219,58417.3 25,092,805 4,80619.2
2000 16,192,473 6,04137.3 58,971,70916,44427.9 117,114,73919,96617.0 25,559,879 4,57417.9
2001 16,232,934 5,98336.9 59,465,06616,28427.4 119,060,43620,28717.0 25,797,467 4,64918.0
2002 16,287,999 6,13437.7 60,046,06816,68627.8 120,913,20720,35816.8 26,005,326 4,54317.5
2003 16,344,596 5,74535.1 60,599,35016,32926.9 122,772,57820,79916.9 26,200,946 4,64417.7
2004 16,518,068 5,72434.7 61,003,24016,40126.9 124,762,84820,51016.4 26,337,518 4,35516.5
2005 16,652,533 5,36032.2 61,180,77216,51627.0 126,831,71421,00416.6 26,658,669 4,23715.9
2006 16,996,219 5,27031.0 61,527,21916,23726.4 128,907,36120,15215.6 26,884,798 4,06415.1
2007 17,208,807 4,97028.9 61,623,32215,62425.4 130,500,56619,69615.1 27,135,517 4,00414.8
2008 17,314,417 4,04623.4 61,990,54613,69622.1 131,908,05817,86813.5 27,521,034 3,73913.6
2009 17,404,102 3,62020.8 63,105,88112,33819.6 132,693,70816,67112.6 27,786,270 3,56512.8
2010 17,797,523 3,22018.1 62,649,94712,01519.2 134,995,31416,13412.0 27,832,721 3,59612.9

The rate of deaths per 100,000 people in 2010 peaked at ages 20-24 for male drivers (14.5 per 100,000) and at age 18 for male passengers (7.5 per 100,000). Death rates peaked at age 19 for female drivers (6.2 per 100,000) and at age 16 for female passengers (4.8 per 100,000).

Deaths in passenger vehicles per 100,000 people by seating position, age, and gender, 2010

Deaths in passenger vehicles per 100,000 people by seating position, age, and gender, 2010
Age Male FemaleTotal*
PopulationDriver deathsPassenger deathsPopulationDriver deathsPassenger deathsPopulationDriver deathsPassenger deaths
NumberRateNumberRateNumberRateNumberRateNumberRateNumberRate
<13 27,048,470 2 0.0 357 1.3 25,894,748 0 0.0 296 1.1 52,943,218 2 0.0 653 1.2
13 2,104,914 3 0.1 25 1.2 2,013,099 3 0.1 36 1.8 4,118,013 6 0.1 61 1.5
14 2,135,543 2 0.1 41 1.9 2,030,439 1 0.0 49 2.4 4,165,982 3 0.1 90 2.2
15 2,177,022 22 1.0 59 2.7 2,065,798 3 0.1 53 2.6 4,242,820 25 0.6 112 2.6
16 2,216,034 102 4.6 96 4.3 2,100,105 56 2.7 100 4.8 4,316,139 158 3.7 196 4.5
17 2,263,153 169 7.5 121 5.3 2,132,142 81 3.8 100 4.7 4,395,295 250 5.7 221 5.0
18 2,305,473 303 13.1 173 7.5 2,195,382 135 6.1 94 4.3 4,500,855 438 9.7 267 5.9
19 2,341,984 294 12.6 150 6.4 2,243,250 140 6.2 90 4.0 4,585,234 434 9.5 240 5.2
20-24 11,014,176 1,593 14.5 604 5.5 10,571,823 595 5.6 341 3.2 21,585,999 2,188 10.1 945 4.4
25-29 10,635,591 1,174 11.0 327 3.1 10,466,258 427 4.1 219 2.1 21,101,849 1,601 7.6 546 2.6
30-59 62,098,506 4,829 7.8 863 1.4 63,605,720 2,138 3.4 724 1.1 125,704,226 6,967 5.5 1,587 1.3
60-69 13,930,047 1,080 7.8 147 1.1 15,323,140 501 3.3 265 1.7 29,253,187 1,581 5.4 412 1.4
≥70 11,510,413 1,487 12.9 261 2.3 16,322,308 833 5.1 634 3.9 27,832,721 2,320 8.3 895 3.2
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

The rate of fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled in 2008 was highest at ages 16-19 for male drivers and at ages ages 80 and over for female drivers. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 2012. [Unpublished analysis of 2008 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Household Travel Survey, General Estimates System, and Fatality Analysis Reporting System]. Arlington, VA.

Fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled by driver age and gender, 2008
AgeMale FemaleTotal*
Crash involvementsMilesRateCrash involvementsMilesRateCrash involvementsMilesRate
16-19 2,747 47,101,113,156 5.8 1,292 40,725,999,996 3.2 4,040 87,827,113,152 4.6
20-24 4,193 77,399,337,458 5.4 1,565 72,769,745,568 2.2 5,758 150,169,083,027 3.8
25-29 3,215 67,099,358,786 4.8 1,251 58,685,808,506 2.1 4,467 125,785,167,292 3.6
30-59 12,269 885,054,888,347 1.4 5,676 559,809,444,138 1.0 17,945 1,444,864,332,485 1.2
60-69 2,196 158,220,245,972 1.4 1,014 102,579,182,791 1.0 3,211 260,799,428,763 1.2
70-79 1,502 62,438,473,280 2.4 714 31,872,100,686 2.2 2,217 94,310,573,966 2.4
≥ 80 996 18,049,881,189 5.5 518 9,557,947,978 5.4 1,514 27,607,829,167 5.5
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

The rate of nighttime fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled in 2008 was almost 4 times higher for male drivers ages 16-19 than for male drivers ages 30-59. The corresponding comparison for females yields almost 3 times the rate. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 2012. [Unpublished analysis of 2008 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Household Travel Survey, General Estimates System, and Fatality Analysis Reporting System]. Arlington, VA.

Nighttime (9 p.m.-6 a.m.) fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled by driver age and gender, 2008
AgeMale Female
Crash involvementsMilesRateCrash involvementsMilesRate
16-19 1,184 7,663,933,983 15.4 446 5,398,409,200 8.3
20-24 2,187 12,530,755,316 17.5 630 9,663,223,642 6.5
25-29 1,597 9,202,553,882 17.4 393 4,810,780,195 8.2
30-59 4,173 102,327,055,851 4.1 1,312 41,436,562,572 3.2
60-69 386 12,203,313,867 3.2 117 5,213,924,030 2.2
≥ 70 237 3,619,562,393 6.5 58 1,476,546,549 3.9

When teenagers died

In 2010, August had the highest number of teenage crash deaths of any months.

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by month, 2010
MonthDeaths%
January 205 7
February 181 6
March 253 8
April 267 9
May 283 9
June 283 9
July 307 10
August 321 10
September 256 8
October 276 9
November 250 8
December 233 7
Total 3,115 100

Fifty-five percent of motor vehicle crash deaths among teenagers in 2010 occurred on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by day of week, 2010
Day of weekDeaths%
Sunday 551 18
Monday 389 13
Tuesday 364 12
Wednesday 345 11
Thursday 318 10
Friday 509 16
Saturday 639 21
Total* 3,115 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2010 occurred most frequently between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. (17 percent) and between 9 p.m. and midnight (17 percent).

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by time of day, 2010
Time of dayDeaths%
Midnight - 3 a.m. 468 15
3 a.m. - 6 a.m. 294 9
6 a.m. - 9 a.m. 308 10
9 a.m. - noon 190 6
noon - 3 p.m. 318 10
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. 531 17
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 460 15
9 p.m. - midnight 517 17
Total* 3,115 100
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Alcohol involvement

Young drivers are less likely than adults to drive after drinking alcohol, but their crash risk is substantially higher when they do. This is especially true at low and moderate blood alcohol concentrations (BACs). Peck, R.C; Gebers, M.A.; Voas, R.B.; and Romano, E. 2008. The relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC), age, and crash risk. Journal of Safety Research 39:311-19. The estimated percentage of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-17 who had BACs at or above 0.08 percent in 2010 was 15 percent, down 62 percent since 1982. Most of this decline took place in the 1980s. This age group experienced the greatest decline in alcohol involvement, compared with a 46 percent decline for drivers ages 18-20, a 23 percent decline for drivers ages 21-30, and a 35 percent decline for drivers older than 30.

Percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by age, 1982-2010

Estimated percent and number of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by age group, 1982-2010
YearAges 16-17Ages 18-20Ages 21-30Ages >30
Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08
NumberNumber%NumberNumber%NumberNumber%NumberNumber%
1982 895 368 41 2,561 1,458 57 6,244 3,948 63 9,861 4,208 43
1983 899 345 38 2,427 1,336 55 6,053 3,859 64 9,845 3,943 40
1984 969 321 33 2,472 1,274 52 6,412 3,885 61 10,337 3,860 37
1985 935 250 27 2,292 1,009 44 6,262 3,659 58 10,441 3,713 36
1986 1,172 336 29 2,464 1,158 47 6,695 3,974 59 11,042 3,887 35
1987 1,192 311 26 2,438 1,004 41 6,802 3,975 58 11,579 4,016 35
1988 1,177 302 26 2,611 1,056 40 6,819 3,991 59 12,145 4,203 35
1989 1,060 234 22 2,476 991 40 6,475 3,675 57 12,401 4,272 34
1990 999 224 22 2,398 974 41 6,152 3,510 57 12,274 4,238 35
1991 902 193 21 2,119 852 40 5,623 3,183 57 11,801 3,993 34
1992 900 165 18 1,797 664 37 5,122 2,759 54 11,639 3,823 33
1993 935 152 16 1,870 643 34 5,065 2,658 52 12,038 3,851 32
1994 1,006 167 17 1,984 632 32 4,975 2,484 50 12,525 3,771 30
1995 1,015 150 15 1,968 575 29 5,081 2,585 51 13,246 4,155 31
1996 1,106 186 17 1,920 583 30 4,989 2,475 50 13,478 4,070 30
1997 1,090 180 17 1,946 594 31 4,775 2,275 48 13,777 4,004 29
1998 1,059 161 15 2,035 607 30 4,577 2,222 49 13,839 3,930 28
1999 1,092 172 16 2,169 677 31 4,653 2,260 49 13,870 3,866 28
2000 999 158 16 2,251 686 30 4,706 2,268 48 13,743 3,997 29
2001 993 132 13 2,254 691 31 4,735 2,358 50 13,790 4,005 29
2002 1,126 155 14 2,326 718 31 4,938 2,462 50 14,006 4,020 29
2003 994 159 16 2,266 699 31 4,852 2,308 48 13,957 3,930 28
2004 969 149 15 2,206 665 30 4,970 2,372 48 13,689 3,743 27
2005 879 132 15 2,106 603 29 5,067 2,492 49 13,809 3,852 28
2006 859 151 18 2,161 680 31 5,159 2,535 49 13,321 3,779 28
2007 775 133 17 1,953 633 32 5,028 2,592 52 12,697 3,675 29
2008 580 91 16 1,712 535 31 4,388 2,327 53 11,528 3,308 29
2009 503 69 14 1,546 540 35 3,870 2,020 52 10,869 3,156 29
2010 408 63 15 1,262 389 31 3,693 1,803 49 10,575 2,942 28

Fatally injured female teenage drivers were less likely than male teenage drivers in 2010 to have high BACs. Among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-17, 16 percent of males and 13 percent of females in 2010 had BACs at or above 0.08 percent. Among fatally injured drivers ages 18-19, 31 percent of males and 22 percent of females had BACs at or above 0.08 percent.

Estimated percent and number of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by gender and age, 2010
AgeMale Female Total*
Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedestimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08
NumberNumber%NumberNumber%NumberNumber%
16-17 271 44 16 137 18 13 408 63 15
18-19 597 183 31 275 61 22 872 243 28
20 284 113 40 106 33 31 390 146 37
21-30 2,680 1,436 54 1,013 366 36 3,693 1,803 49
31-60 4,757 2,037 43 2,095 540 26 6,853 2,578 38
61-70 1,039 199 19 488 39 8 1,527 238 16
>70 1,403 88 6 792 37 5 2,195 125 6
All ages* 11,066 4,110 37 4,913 1,095 22 15,982 5,206 33
*Total includes other and/or unknowns

References