Fatality Facts 2022Teenagers

Overview

In the United States, teenagers drive less than all but the oldest people, but their numbers of crashes and crash deaths are disproportionately high. Using data from the National Household Travel Survey, 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.

Beginning in the mid-1990s, all states adopted graduated licensing systems, which phase in full driving privileges. National studies of graduated licensing found that strong laws were associated with substantially lower fatal crash rates and substantially lower insurance claim rates among young teen drivers covered by the laws. Strengthening restrictions on nighttime driving and teen passengers, as well as raising the licensing age, reduced rates of fatal crashes and insurance collision claims (McCartt et al., 2012; Trempel, 2009).

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

Posted June 2024.

Passenger vehicle occupants

In 2022, 62% of deaths among passenger vehicle occupants ages 16-19 were drivers.

Teenage passenger vehicle occupant deaths by age and seating position, 2022
AgeDriver PassengerTotal*
Number%Number%Number%
13 2 3 57 97 59 100
14 6 6 95 94 101 100
15 25 18 111 81 137 100
16 159 51 152 49 312 100
17 271 59 183 40 456 100
18 358 65 192 35 551 100
19 402 67 198 33 600 100
Total 1,223 55 988 45 2,216 100

In 2022, 56% of the deaths of teenage passengers in passenger vehicles occurred in vehicles driven by another teenager. Among deaths of passengers of all ages, 13% occurred when a teenager was driving.

Passenger vehicle passenger deaths by passenger age and driver age, 2022
Passenger ageDriver AgeAll ages
13-19 years 20-24 years 25-29 years 30-59 years 60-69 years ≥70 yearsUnknown
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number
<13 35 6 82 14 111 18 344 57 18 3 11 2 2<1 603
13-19 557 56 189 19 52 5 167 17 8 1 5 1 10 1 988
20-24 105 15 359 50 120 17 114 16 8 1 2<1 10 1 718
25-29 15 3 123 23 172 32 205 39 5 1 3 1 8 2 531
30-59 69 4 152 8 203 11 1,243 67 137 7 41 2 22 1 1,867
60-69 6 1 13 3 18 4 194 42 154 33 77 17 4 1 466
70+ 13 1 17 2 14 2 213 23 157 17 496 54 3<1 913
Unknown 3 8 6 1700 16 44 4 11 2 6 5 14 36
All ages 803 13 941 15 690 11 2,496 41 491 8 637 10 64 1 6,122

In 2022, belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-19 was generally higher than those ages 20-59 and lower than those ages 60 and older. For passengers, belt use was similar for teens and those ages 20-29, and increased with age for those ages 30 and older. 

Seat belt use among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants by age and seating position, 2022
AgeDrivers Passengers
Belt used Unbelted Unknown Belt used Unbelted Unknown
Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%Number%
13 2 1000000 20 35 25 44 12 21
1400 4 67 2 33 33 35 49 52 13 14
15 9 36 13 52 3 12 26 23 69 62 16 14
16 67 42 74 47 18 11 52 34 84 55 16 11
17 126 46 118 44 27 10 49 27 112 61 22 12
18 158 44 159 44 41 11 59 31 110 57 23 12
19 155 39 200 50 47 12 58 29 120 61 20 10
20-24 777 37 1,065 50 272 13 221 31 393 55 104 14
25-29 728 36 1,070 53 236 12 160 30 293 55 78 15
30-59 3,535 40 4,247 49 957 11 687 37 927 50 253 14
60-69 1,291 55 873 37 176 8 258 55 168 36 40 9
70+ 1,982 64 885 29 218 7 660 72 183 20 70 8

Among passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-19 involved in fatal crashes in 2022, 43% were involved in single-vehicle crashes. This was the highest of any age group.

Passenger vehicle drivers in fatal crashes by age and crash type, 2022
Single vehicle Multiple vehicleAll crashes
Number%Number%Number%
16-19 1,368 43 1,844 57 3,212 100
20-24 2,241 40 3,309 60 5,550 100
25-29 1,931 38 3,202 62 5,133 100
30-59 7,947 36 14,294 64 22,241 100
60-69 1,642 33 3,299 67 4,941 100
70+ 1,516 30 3,538 70 5,054 100

Population and mileage rates

From 1975 to 2022, the rate of passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 people declined by 61% for teenagers ages 16-19, 41% for people ages 20-34, 25% for people ages 35-69, and 16% for people 70 and older. The teenage passenger vehicle driver fatal crash involvement rate fell in 2022 for the first time since 2019, and was 7% lower than the rate in 2021. 

Passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 people by age group, 1975-2022
16-19 years 20-34 years 35-69 years 70+ years
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 60,563,41623,75839.2 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 62,491,25520,96433.5 84,256,66115,07917.9 18,662,938 2,77014.8
1985 14,969,843 6,27641.9 62,961,15420,83733.1 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 88,808,04616,74918.9 19,890,817 3,37617.0
1988 15,159,185 7,24947.8 62,784,73922,36735.6 90,464,40617,50119.3 20,302,280 3,62317.8
1989 14,874,579 6,90646.4 62,494,05621,27334.0 92,250,76217,78019.3 20,719,397 3,63117.5
1990 14,424,509 6,35644.1 62,282,68320,71533.3 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 58,712,40717,91130.5 104,712,32818,86918.0 23,693,757 4,50519.0
1996 14,907,191 6,02140.4 57,753,91017,73830.7 106,975,95319,26618.0 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 56,421,05316,27128.8 111,331,19520,03118.0 24,793,551 4,80819.4
1999 15,927,464 6,15838.7 55,961,40116,15428.9 113,451,31219,58517.3 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 61,003,24016,40126.9 124,762,84820,50916.4 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 17,750,955 3,23418.2 62,914,60012,06619.2 135,270,59416,20412.0 27,957,657 3,63013.0
2011 17,503,125 2,97717.0 63,965,81811,96018.7 136,306,91515,82811.6 28,472,279 3,55212.5
2012 17,230,188 2,91716.9 64,900,43312,49319.2 137,323,65816,52812.0 29,152,093 3,65112.5
2013 17,034,699 2,58415.2 65,681,25112,17818.5 138,067,09616,40511.9 30,040,362 3,65612.2
2014 16,896,162 2,62215.5 66,367,80312,20518.4 139,015,31916,25111.7 30,864,009 3,72012.1
2015 16,840,766 2,92417.4 66,762,73713,44420.1 140,231,06918,04312.9 31,624,778 3,94412.5
2016 16,939,001 3,04017.9 67,142,78014,62221.8 141,361,05219,02413.5 32,406,486 4,30213.3
2017 16,992,577 2,96617.5 67,381,46914,39921.4 141,662,25219,48513.8 33,964,043 4,52813.3
2018 16,936,745 2,84416.8 67,504,17013,99120.7 142,087,33019,29613.6 35,290,306 4,55012.9
2019 16,888,181 2,73316.2 67,647,65813,43719.9 142,410,35919,16413.5 36,592,368 4,62112.6
2020 16,785,009 3,02218.0 67,664,40114,99122.2 142,779,66919,69113.8 37,785,698 4,09010.8
2021 17,208,740 3,45420.1 67,019,10216,78225.0 145,289,67422,43515.4 37,453,633 4,75312.7
2022 17,239,226 3,21218.6 68,207,07915,64522.9 144,843,86922,22015.3 39,163,430 5,05412.9

The rate of deaths per 100,000 people in 2022 peaked at age 19 for male drivers (13.9) and at age 17 for male passengers (5.1). Death rates peaked at age 20-24 for female drivers (5.2) and at age 19 for female passengers (4.2).

Deaths in passenger vehicles per 100,000 people by seating position, age and sex, 2022

Deaths in passenger vehicles per 100,000 people by seating position, age and sex, 2022
Age Male FemaleTotal
PopulationDriver deathsPassenger deathsPopulationDriver deathsPassenger deathsPopulationDriver deathsPassenger deaths
NumberRateNumberRateNumberRateNumberRateNumberRateNumberRate
<13 25,981,412 0 0.0 305 1.2 24,812,058 1 0.0 298 1.2 50,793,470 1 0.0 603 1.2
13 2,171,725 2 0.1 31 1.4 2,069,159 0 0.0 26 1.3 4,240,884 2 0.0 57 1.3
14 2,255,757 6 0.3 45 2.0 2,147,276 0 0.0 49 2.3 4,403,033 6 0.1 94 2.1
15 2,253,101 17 0.8 72 3.2 2,143,465 8 0.4 39 1.8 4,396,566 25 0.6 111 2.5
16 2,214,662 109 4.9 88 4.0 2,111,146 50 2.4 64 3.0 4,325,808 159 3.7 152 3.5
17 2,197,612 194 8.8 113 5.1 2,093,454 77 3.7 69 3.3 4,291,066 271 6.3 182 4.2
18 2,216,084 272 12.3 103 4.6 2,110,558 86 4.1 89 4.2 4,326,642 358 8.3 192 4.4
19 2,200,584 306 13.9 108 4.9 2,095,126 96 4.6 89 4.2 4,295,710 402 9.4 197 4.6
20-24 11,601,988 1,532 13.2 411 3.5 11,103,791 581 5.2 305 2.7 22,705,779 2,113 9.3 716 3.2
25-29 11,352,742 1,476 13.0 318 2.8 10,840,422 558 5.1 212 2.0 22,193,164 2,034 9.2 530 2.4
30-59 64,610,562 6,339 9.8 890 1.4 63,791,598 2,395 3.8 976 1.5 128,402,160 8,734 6.8 1,866 1.5
60-69 19,171,881 1,681 8.8 198 1.0 20,577,964 658 3.2 268 1.3 39,749,845 2,339 5.9 466 1.2
70+ 17,055,443 2,108 12.4 277 1.6 22,107,987 975 4.4 634 2.9 39,163,430 3,083 7.9 911 2.3

Based on calculations made using data from the National Household Travel Survey, the rate of fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled in 2016-17 was highest at ages 16-19 for male drivers and at ages 80 and over for female drivers.

Fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled by driver age and sex, April 1, 2016 – March 31, 2017
AgeMale FemaleTotal*
Crash involvementsMilesRateCrash involvementsMilesRateCrash involvementsMilesRate
16-19 2,019 31,732,691,896 6.4 1,003 30,677,731,652 3.3 3,024 62,410,423,548 4.8
20-24 3,898 89,913,330,623 4.3 1,713 82,245,489,504 2.1 5,618 172,158,820,127 3.3
25-29 3,429 97,584,235,223 3.5 1,533 115,903,021,775 1.3 4,964 213,487,256,997 2.3
30-59 12,875 785,270,175,131 1.6 6,011 558,224,868,022 1.1 18,889 1,343,495,043,154 1.4
60-69 3,019 207,918,951,320 1.5 1,380 136,711,746,704 1.0 4,401 344,630,698,024 1.3
70-79 1,754 85,010,352,002 2.1 807 54,430,675,479 1.5 2,563 139,441,027,481 1.8
80+ 1,169 19,674,241,353 5.9 568 12,308,938,944 4.6 1,737 31,983,180,297 5.4

The rate of nighttime fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled in 2016-17 for male drivers ages 16-19 was almost 3 times that of male drivers ages 30-59. The corresponding comparison for females yields just over double the rate.

Nighttime (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) fatal passenger vehicle crash involvements per 100 million miles traveled by driver age and sex, April 1, 2016 – March 31, 2017
AgeMale Female
Crash involvementsMilesRateCrash involvementsMilesRate
16-19 788 4,931,226,605 16.0 300 2,916,766,045 10.3
20-24 1,788 12,749,476,470 14.0 662 11,332,793,419 5.8
25-29 1,565 12,346,988,856 12.7 555 6,306,786,823 8.8
30-59 4,372 79,775,321,852 5.5 1,480 35,496,839,100 4.2
60-69 592 15,786,500,196 3.8 196 7,501,060,309 2.6
70+ 294 4,365,410,112 6.7 99 1,972,194,094 5.0

When teenagers died

In 2022, teenage crash deaths occurred most often in the summer and fall, peaking in October.

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by month, 2022
MonthDeaths%
January 165 6
February 195 7
March 248 9
April 227 8
May 240 8
June 229 8
July 267 9
August 267 9
September 254 9
October 299 10
November 250 9
December 242 8
Total 2,883 100

Fifty-one percent of motor vehicle crash deaths among teenagers in 2022 occurred on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by day of week, 2022
Day of weekDeaths%
Sunday 554 19
Monday 341 12
Tuesday 353 12
Wednesday 385 13
Thursday 342 12
Friday 379 13
Saturday 529 18
Total 2,883 100

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths in 2022 occurred most frequently from 9 p.m. to midnight (20%), followed by the time between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. (16%).

Teenage motor vehicle crash deaths by time of day, 2022
Time of dayDeaths%
Midnight - 3 a.m. 426 15
3 a.m. - 6 a.m. 274 10
6 a.m. - 9 a.m. 259 9
9 a.m. - noon 190 7
Noon - 3 p.m. 270 9
3 p.m. - 6 p.m. 414 14
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. 456 16
9 p.m. - midnight 573 20
Total* 2,883 100

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) (Vaos et al., 2012). The estimated percentage of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-17 who had BACs at or above 0.08% in 2022 was 22%, down 47% since 1982. Most of this decline took place in the 1980s. This age group experienced a similar decline in alcohol involvement as drivers ages 18-20 (46%). These age groups experienced a larger decline in alcohol involvement than drivers ages 21-30 (30%) and drivers over age 30 (36%).

Percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08% by age, 1982-2022

Estimated percent and number of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08% by age group, 1982-2022
Year16-17 years18-20 years21-30 years>30 years
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 6,413 3,885 61 10,337 3,860 37
1985 935 250 27 2,292 1,009 44 6,263 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 13,247 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 410 58 14 1,265 380 30 3,697 1,816 49 10,613 2,914 27
2011 422 78 18 1,300 410 32 3,612 1,747 48 10,193 2,820 28
2012 390 60 15 1,234 376 30 3,748 1,803 48 10,505 2,958 28
2013 302 31 10 1,079 328 30 3,671 1,788 49 10,492 2,958 28
2014 344 50 15 1,090 294 27 3,636 1,707 47 10,384 2,849 27
2015 381 53 14 1,210 295 24 3,860 1,658 43 11,134 2,901 26
2016 406 47 12 1,185 284 24 4,205 1,812 43 11,801 2,997 25
2017 375 48 13 1,108 274 25 4,057 1,721 42 12,168 3,066 25
2018 355 53 15 1,084 236 22 3,962 1,674 42 11,827 2,988 25
2019 295 50 17 1,039 236 23 3,639 1,552 43 11,869 2,946 25
2020 360 60 17 1,219 330 27 4,258 1,747 41 12,407 3,384 27
2021 409 73 18 1,311 338 26 4,520 1,943 43 14,034 3,822 27
2022 430 93 22 1,179 361 31 4,104 1,824 44 13,789 3,749 27

Among all age groups of fatally injured drivers in 2022, females were less likely than males to have high BACs. Among fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers ages 16-17, 24% of males and 16% of females had BACs at or above 0.08%. Among fatally injured drivers ages 18-19, 30% of males and 21% of females had BACs at or above 0.08%.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured passenger vehicle drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08% by sex and age, 2022
Age Male FemaleTotal*
Drivers killedEstimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedEstimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08Drivers killedEstimated drivers with BACs ≥ 0.08
NumberNumber%NumberNumber%NumberNumber%
16-17 303 72 24 127 21 16 430 93 22
18-19 578 174 30 182 38 21 760 211 28
20 301 125 41 118 25 21 419 150 36
21-30 2,964 1,376 46 1,138 446 39 4,104 1,824 44
31-60 6,263 2,363 38 2,351 642 27 8,618 3,007 35
61-70 1,625 372 23 647 93 14 2,273 466 21
>70 1,983 218 11 913 59 6 2,898 276 10
All ages* 14,062 4,709 33 5,489 1,328 24 19,565 6,042 31

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