Teen Driving

The AAP-OC Chapter with support from The Allstate Foundation, implemented the Teen Safe Driving Program with the goals of increasing awareness regarding the Graduated Driver License policy, and reducing teen driving deaths. The national AAP released its first policy statement recommending Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) laws in 1996 in response to the high number of fatalities and injuries among teen drivers. As a result of over 15 years of pediatric advocacy, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have a 3-tiered Graduated Licensing System for teen drivers. These include a learner’s permit, an intermediate or provisional license, and a full-privileged driver’s license. Unfortunately, the strength of these laws varies widely, with some states adopting more stringent provisions than others in specific areas such as the number of required hours of supervised behind-the-wheel training and restrictions on night time driving, teenage passengers and mobile phone use. (For a full description of recommended provisions and state-by-state requirements, click here.) Currently no state has a law that meets all the AAP recommendations for teen driving safety.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Teen Drivers and California Law and Facts: California Office of Traffic Safety

Teens and Distracted Driving 2020 (DOT HS 813 315): This data sheet provides a look at 2020 data on distracted drivers focusing on teen drivers identified as 15- to 19-year-olds. For the purposes of this data sheet, teens are identified as 15 to 19 years old.