Teen Driver and Passengers Fatality Report - What Can We Do?

Report Summary

• Two teen passengers: For 16–17-year-old drivers, the risk of the driver being killed per mile driven roughly doubles when carrying two passengers younger than 21 (and no older passengers), compared with driving alone.
• Three or more teen passengers: With three or more passengers younger than 21, the teen driver’s risk of death per mile driven is about four times higher than driving alone. 
• Everyone in the crash is at higher risk: When a teen driver has only teen passengers, the fatality rate for all people involved in the crash increases by ~51% (vs. no teen passengers). By contrast, having an adult 35+ in the car reduces overall fatality rates. 
• Consensus from public-health authorities: The CDC notes that the presence of teen/young-adult passengers increases crash risk, and the risk rises with each additional teen passenger. 
• Context from IIHS/NHTSA: Research syntheses highlight that the presence of passengers increases crash risk among teen drivers and that a majority of teen passenger deaths occur in crashes with teen behind the wheel drivers; The NHTSA data also show a large share of teen passenger fatalities occur when as they are passengers of teen drivers

What is the additional risk for teen drivers who have teen passengers in the car?

Once a student driver has their license, the first person on their bucket list to ride with is most likely a friend, classmate, or sibling around their age. With school carpooling, sports, and extracurriculars, there’s nothing more convenient or fun for new drivers than riding around with their peers! But there’s a scary truth: for drivers ages 16 to 17, the risk of the driver being killed per mile driven roughly doubles when carrying two passengers younger than 21. 

Nothing is more important than safety when driving, so choosing your passengers or your child’s passengers carefully needs to be a top priority.

Teen Drivers and Teen Passengers: Statistics

Two Teen Passengers: 

For 16–17-year-old drivers, the risk of the driver being killed per mile driven roughly doubles when carrying two passengers younger than 21 (and no older passengers), compared with driving alone. 

Three or More Teen Passengers: 

With three or more passengers younger than 21, a teen driver’s risk of death per mile driven is about four times higher than driving alone. 

Teen Passenger and Driver Report

According to the CDC’s 2025 “Eight Danger Zones” report, carrying teen passengers remains one of the most significant risk factors for fatal crashes among 16 to 19–year–olds. The CDC emphasizes that “the risk of a crash increases with each additional teen passenger.”

The IIHS agrees, noting that a large share of teen passenger deaths occur in vehicles driven by another teen. The organization’s 2023 data show that passengers aged 13 to 19 make up nearly one-third of all teen traffic fatalities, with teen passengers of teen drivers accounting for almost 60% of teenage passenger deaths. 

In 2023 alone, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that more than 600 teen passengers died in vehicles driven by teens, a number that has barely improved in the past decade despite advances in vehicle safety.

Encourage Your Teen to Take the “No Chat Challenge”

One of our Driving Instructors, Steve, spoke about this report and recommended teens avoid chatting and distraction when in the car with a passenger. 

"Teen drivers are most at risk when they’re distracted, especially by friends in the car. This could be from looking back and forth between a passenger and the road, adjusting the music, or changing a playlist on their phone."

The No Chat Challenge encourages teen drivers and their passengers to stay silent while the car is moving, helping the driver focus fully on the road. 

By cutting down on conversation and peer pressure, teens reduce distractions that can lead to serious crashes. It’s a simple rule with an important impact: less talking equals more attention and safer roads.

You can check out the video here!

Sources:

1. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "Driver Age and Passenger Presence Among Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes." 2013, https://aaafoundation.org/driver-age-and-passenger-presence-among-drivers-involved-in-fatal-crashes/.
2. AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "Everyone’s at Risk: The Danger of Teen Drivers Carrying Teen Passengers." 2018, https://aaafoundation.org/everyones-at-risk-teen-drivers-and-passengers/.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Teen Drivers: Facts & Eight Danger Zones for Teens Behind the Wheel." CDC, Aug. 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/teen-drivers/.
4. Federal Highway Administration. "Highway Statistics Series (Exposure Data Used in AAA Foundation Analysis)." FHWA, https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics.cfm.
5. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Fatality Data Table (2014–2023) – Young driver and passenger fatalities (ages 15–20)." IIHS, https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics.
6. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Fatality Facts 2023: Teenagers." IIHS, https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/teenagers.
7. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. "Countermeasures That Work: A Highway Safety Countermeasure Guide for State Highway Safety Offices." 11th ed., 2023, https://www.nhtsa.gov/behavioral-research/countermeasures-that-work.