Stronger Teen Driving Laws Can Hold Down Insurance Costs

A traffic safety organization has announced new study results showing that more than 30 states have improved their teen driving laws in recent years, potentially holding down insurance costs in the process. A traffic safety organization has announced new study results showing that more than 30 states have improved their teen driving laws in recent years, potentially holding down insurance costs in the process.

The analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grades all U.S. states and the District of Columbia with ratings that range from "good" to "poor." The organization says that in 1996, no states had teen driving laws that met their criteria to be considered "good," while today, 31 states plus Washington D.C. have met that standard. The IIHS found an additional 12 states to be "fair" and seven "marginal" with their teen driving laws. The organization particularly advocates graduated drivers licensing laws and gave higher ratings to states that adopt regulations such as issuing permits to drivers above age 16, with a learner's stage that lasts at least six months.

Other components of a GDL agenda include a set amount of parentally-supervised driving practice and limits on passengers and nighttime driving for teens. The IIHS has also suggested that it's time for a national discussion on raising the driving age in general, with an eye on decreasing the number of accidents and keeping down insurance costs.

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