CT Fatal Teen Driver Crashes Reached Highest Point Since 2007: AAA

CONNECTICUT — The number of fatal teen driver crashes in Connecticut reached its highest point in over a decade last year, according to an analysis from AAA Northeast. In 2022, there were 33 fatal crashes involving teenage drivers in Connecticut.

This marks the highest number since 2007 when there were 48 fatal teen driver crashes. That increase parallels a growing number of people killed in teen driver crashes nationwide.

The AAA Northeast report analyzed teen driving crash data from UConn’s Crash Data Repository. There were 12,264 teen drivers involved in crashes in Connecticut in 2022, equivalent to one teen-involved crash every 45 minutes.

The top five driver-contributing circumstances to those crashes were: followed too closely (2,863 crashes); failed to keep in proper lane (1,969); failed to yield right-of-way (1,190); exceeded speed limit / too fast for conditions (1,141); and ran off roadway (596).

“Teen driver crashes affect everybody on the road,” Alec Slatky, managing director of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Northeast, said in a statement. “Parents and caregivers play a critical role in making sure young drivers learn in a safe environment.”

AAA offered the following tips for parents when talking to their teens about driving:

• Wear your seatbelt: teens model parents’ behaviors, and wearing a seatbelt is the best protection you can give yourself in the event of a crash.
• Set limits on other passengers: research shows the risk of a fatal crash dramatically increases when teen passengers accompany a teen driver, but having a parent or guardian in the car decreases the risk of a fatal crash.
• Sign a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement: aim to lay ground rules for your teen driver that exceed the Graduated Driver Licensing restrictions.