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Clearly, when Missouri teen-agers get behind the wheel, they are at significant risk for injury and death. As these disturbing charts and graphs have shown, no other form of injury or disease is as great a threat to teen safety as traffic crashes have been and will continue to be.
Driver licensing historically has served as a system to ensure drivers have the basic knowledge and skills to safely operate a vehicle. But in light of the disproportionately high incidence of motor vehicle crashes involving youthful drivers and the dwindling number of driver education courses, Missouri lawmakers concluded that a basic licensing system was no longer sufficient to make sure teen-agers are safe drivers.
| In other states, GDL systems have proven to help reduce teen fatality rates by as much as 43 percent. |
Since much of what novice drivers need to learn about responsible driving can only come from behind-the-wheel experience, new drivers must have an opportunity to learn in the safest possible on-road environment. To help teens gain that vital experience while limiting their exposure to risky driving situations, Missouri adopted its graduated driver license law in 1999, with the effective date of Jan. 1, 2001.
Missouri is among at least 44 states that have enacted a GDL system. While each of the state's laws contain varying components, GDL systems in general are designed to give beginning drivers the chance to gain practice and maturity in the safest possible environment before they receive a full license. Most GDLs consist of three licensing steps, and to obtain full, unrestricted driving privileges, the novice driver must successfully progress through each stage. Each lasts 6 to 12 months and may contain restrictions on who must accompany the young driver and time of day the young motorist can drive.
In addition, graduated licensing systems can motivate by requiring crash- and conviction-free records before moving on to new stages. As the young driver graduates through the system, restrictions and conditions are removed. One of the primary benefits is teen-agers are required to demonstrate responsible driving behavior in each stage of licensing before advancing to the next stage.
Evaluations of existing GDL systems in effect across the country have found dramatic crash reductions among teen drivers.
- Georgia's GDL system took effect on July 1, 1997, and from the first half to the second half of 1997, the rate of fatal crashes per 100,000 among drivers age 16 to 17 decreased by 35 percent. During the same time period, fatal crashes per 100,000 among drivers age 18 to 20 decreased by 7 percent. And speed-related fatalities per 100,000 among drivers age 16 to 17 declined by 43 percent.
- Ontario, Canada, started its GDL system in 1994. The crash rate for drivers age 16–19 declined 27 percent in 1995 compared to 1993, the year before the law was implemented. Before the GDL system was in place, 16-year-olds had a crash rate and fatality rate three times that of the general public. Since the law took effect, the fatal crash rate for 16-year-olds is comparable to that of the general public, and since 1995, the overall crash rate for 16-year-olds is lower than that of the general public.
- In North Carolina, traffic crashes involving 16-year-old drivers declined 26 percent between 1997–1999, and fatalities and serious injuries dropped 29 percent in that same time period following the implementation of a GDL system.
Clearly, GDL systems can help reduce the number of teen crashes. As other systems have shown, developing safe behaviors in the early driving experience can help teens be better drivers.
Next: Missouri’s GDL System Includes New Restrictions >>
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