Effects of Graduated Driver Licensing in Upstate New York

Background/Purpose: To examine the association between the graduated driver licensing (GDL) implementation in September 2003 and the rate of traffic-related fatal/incapacitating injuries among 16 and 17-year-olds in Upstate New York.

Methods: This study was a before-after comparison of injury among 16, 17, and 21 to 24-year-old drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians, by using the Poisson regression and monthly injury count data in Upstate New York, 2001 through 2005.

Results: Following the GDL implementation, 16-year-olds experienced a 26% reduction in driver fatal/incapacitating injury rate (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.58-0.96) and little change in the rates of passenger, bicyclist and pedestrian injuries (aRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.84-1.05). The effect of the GDL law on 16-year-old drivers was more pronounced on injury resulting from crashes occurring between 9 pm and 4:59 am (aRR 0.59, 95% CI 0.43-0.81). The observed reduction in injury among 16-year-old drivers occurred in accordance with a 21% decrease in licensure rate. The GDL implementation had no appreciable impact on driver injury and licensure rates for 17, and 21-24-year-olds.

Conclusions: The GDL law has been effective in reducing traffic-related fatal/incapacitating injury in 16-year-old drivers. This protective effect is largely explained by a delay in licensure and a decrease in the amount of time spent driving under hazardous conditions. The implementation of the GDL law did not, however, have any appreciable impact on the incidence of non-driver traffic injury among 16-year-olds, or the incidence of traffic injury among those aged 17, and 21 to 24 years.