It is well known that many young people have driving styles that heighten their risk of being in a motor vehicle crash. Compared with older people, young drivers are more likely to drive fast, follow too closely, overtake in a risky manner, allow too little time to merge, and fail to yield to pedestrians (Bergeron, 1995; Jonah, 1986; Romanowicz & Gebers, 1990; Saibel, Salzberg, & Thurston, 1996). When these factors combine with young people's lack of driving experience – especially their reduced ability to recognize and respond to hazardous situations – the result is a greatly elevated crash involvement rate, particularly among the youngest drivers (Williams, 1996). The elevated crash rate of young beginners per mile driven is illustrated in Figure 7.1. Teenagers have a higher crash risk than older drivers; within the teenage years, 16-year-olds (43 crashes per million miles) and 17-year-olds (30) have particularly high crash rates compared with 18- to 19- year-olds (15). Deaths from motor vehicle crashes represent the largest health problem among 16- to 19-year-olds, accounting for about one-third of all their deaths in the United States. Thus, in terms of behaviors that compromise the health of adolescents, motor vehicle use is a major contributor.

Overview and new perspectives

Despite the importance of motor vehicle use in contributing to health problems among adolescents, the highway safety field has existed largely outside the broader public health field.