Teen Driving

Car crashes account for approximately 6,000 deaths annually of American teens. While 15 to 20 year olds only account for 6.7% of the total driving population, they account for 14% of all fatal crashes. 

The statistics:

• About 60% of fatally injured teen drivers were not wearing a seat belt
• 65% of teen passenger deaths occur at the hands of a teen driver. 
• About 50% of the crashes involving 16-year-old drivers are single vehicle crashes 
• 41% of fatal crashes occur at nighttime. 

If there was a disease or a murderer killing 6000 kids per year we would quickly find a solution or catch the suspect.  But because the epidemic of teen deaths occurs in ones, twos, and multiples spread throughout the country and the perception that the cause of the deaths is driver behavior, it is difficult to maintain on any political agenda. Rather, it is an issue that is fought in the trenches mainly by grass roots organizations often founded by surviving family members of crash victims. The crusade to reduce and prevent teen driver crashes goes on several fronts and includes many groups whose intention is to change rules and regulations with respect to obtaining a drivers license, to increasing penalties for driving infractions. As a matter of policy changes three fronts symbolize the crusade to prevent or reduce teen driver fatalities: reduction of the legal limit for blood alcohol content, increase penalties for impaired driving and graduated licensing.

Wilsonville Police take the dangers of teen driving very seriously.  All newer drivers should expect strict enforcement of the following statutes:

• Speeding
• Speed racing
• License and new driver license restrictions
• Impaired and distracted driving
• Seatbelt violations
• Unreasonable sound  amplification
• Curfew

This page is dedicated to the memory of Maddi Higgins.  Maddi died in a car crash on Pete’s Mountain Road in June of 2014.