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US News and World Report Ranks Maryland Fourth Safest for Teen Drivers
(March 22, 2010) – The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration, Motor Vehicle Administration and Strategic Highway Safety Plan partners continue to prioritize young driver safety through statewide and local initiatives. Prior to prom and graduation season, safety advocates are redoubling efforts to promote young driver safety.
“As we head into the close of the school year, it is certainly encouraging that US News and World Report has identified Maryland as the fourth safest state for teen drivers. Looking at the comprehensive criteria used to determine the ranking, credit must be extended to not only our young driver safety advocates, but also to those who support seat belt safety, attentive driving, sober driving, and automated enforcement programs,” said Maryland State Highway Administrator and Governor’s Highway Safety Representative Neil J. Pedersen.
“Still, we have more work to do to protect and educate the State’s youngest and arguably most vulnerable drivers.”
The US News and World Report teen driving ranking methodology employed 11 variables. Five of the variables are based on driver's license, car accident fatality, and road quality statistics for each state compiled by the federal government. The other six variables are based on ratings of each state's driving and road safety laws including motorcycle helmet laws, seat belt laws, DUI/DWI laws, distracted driving/ texting prevention laws, as well as red light running and speed camera laws.
This year the Department of Transportation continues its push for strong traffic safety laws by supporting legislative measures that would outlaw hand-held cell phone use for all drivers in an effort to promote more attentive driving. Last year on October 1, a new law went into effect making it illegal to write or send a text message while driving.
“A cell phone ban already exists for drivers under the age of 18 holding a provisional license, and is especially important for this tech-savvy generation which relies upon cell phones and other gadgets that distract from the task of driving,” said Pedersen. “These laws provide a platform for education and enforcement efforts and cannot be over-valued in our crusade to make Maryland roads safer.” SHA’s Safety Office supports community traffic safety programs, which take fatal vision goggles, seat belt races and crashed cars as well as other traffic safety programs directly into high schools. This week St. Mary’s County is hosting a young driver safety festival in each of its high schools.
In 2008, 106 young driver involved fatalities comprised 18 percent of the total fatalities in Maryland. There were a total of 17,344 young driver-involved crashes, accounting for 18.2 percent of the total crashes in Maryland injuring more than 10,000 persons.
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