Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #115491

Li-Hui Chen, MS, PhD and Susan P. Baker, MPH. Center for Injury Research and Policy, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, 624 North Broadway, 5th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410-614-2812, lhchen@jhsph.edu

Although increasing evidence suggests that there are beneficial effects of GDL systems in the short term, it is not clear whether the benefit will last over the long term. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of GDL systems on the 15-18 year old population.

Cumulative fatal crash rates of drivers aged 15 to 18 for cohorts of teenagers who were a) age 16 in the year before or b) age 16 in the year after GDL implementation were calculated for states implementing their GDL programs before 1999. Cumulative fatal crash rate ratios (with percent changes and 95% confidence intervals) for drivers aged 15-18 compared with drivers aged 25-54 were calculated for the cohorts one year before and one year after implementation of the GDL system for each state.

By the end of 1999, twenty-two jurisdictions had adopted a GDL system that included all three GDL stages. In fourteen states, the cumulative fatal crash rate ratio decreased significantly more for the cohort that turned 16 following implementation of GDLs than the cohort that turned 16 before implementation. In 8 states the rate ratio change was significantly increased.

The study shows there was a decline in the cumulative fatal crash rate ratio of 15-18 year-olds following the implementation of GDL systems for the majority of the states (14 out of 22). The results suggest that the existing GDL systems in the U.S. reduce the chance that 15-18 year-old drivers will be involved in fatal crashes.

Learning Objectives:

• The audience should be familiar with data supporting the effectiveness of state laws for graduated driver licensing programs.
• The audience should consider promoting GDL laws in their own states if such laws are not presently in effect.

Keywords: Motor Vehicles, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.