Effects of Graduated Driver Licensing on Crash Outcomes in Indiana

Abstract

The risks associated with teen drivers because of inexperience and immaturity are well documented. Teenagers are at a greater risk for crashes during the nighttime, with passengers present, and because of a general willingness to take greater risks than older drivers. Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) standards are designed to limit exposure to high-risk situations and to provide young drivers with the experience necessary to assess risks and respond appropriately.. On July 1, 2010, Indiana implemented the second phase in its Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. As of January 2011, there now exist six months of data on the first cohort of teenagers (ages 15 to 17) to enter the GDL system in Indiana. This issue brief uses police-reported crash data to analyze preliminary results on crash reduction for this group as a result of GDL implementation.