According to a recent report issued by the Governors Highway Safety Association, teenage fatalities caused by car accidents have spiked for the first time in years during the first half of 2011. The increase in deaths among teen drivers may be caused by an improving economy or other factors like a leveling off of the benefits derived from graduated licensing laws.

For the first time in eight years, the number of teen driver deaths caused by car accidents has increased. During the first six months of 2011 the total deaths of 16-to 17-year-old drivers increased to 211 from 190 during the same time period one year before. The change in numbers translates to an 11 percent increase and the trend is expected to continue because more teenage car accidents tend to occur during the second six months of the year.

The jump in deaths for teenage drivers is set against a historic drop in teen driving deaths. In 1995 there were over 1,000 deaths among 16- to 17-year-old drivers, and in 2010 there only 408 deaths. Although a majority of states saw an increase in the number of deaths in the first six months of 2011, nineteen states saw a decrease. North Carolina was one of the states that saw an increase in teen driving deaths.

Experts believe the spike in deaths among teen drivers may be caused by an improving economy where more teenagers are beginning to drive and therefore are taking on more risk. It is also hypothesized that the benefits of graduated driving laws may have leveled off. Responding to the statistics, the chairman of the Governors Highway Safety Association said that parents need to continue to play a role in the education of teens learning to drive and their supervision.

Source: The New York Times, "Fatalities among teenage drivers rose in first half of 2011, study finds," Tanya Mohn, Feb. 16, 2012