Citation

Cammisa MX, Williams AF, Leaf WA. J. Saf. Res. 1999; 30(1): 25-30.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Teenage drivers and their parents were surveyed in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York as part of a four-year longitudinal study of the licensing process and driving activities of high school students. Compared with all vehicles registered in the four study states, teenagers were more likely to drive older and smaller vehicles. Safety factors were rarely mentioned by parents as a reason for selecting the vehicles driven by their teenagers. Teenagers considered to be the owners of the vehicles they drive were more likely than nonowners to drive older and smaller cars. Owners drove more than nonowners and had a higher crash rate. Owners also were more deviant in terms of psychosocial characteristics, indicating a proclivity for risky behavior. Limiting vehicle ownership for newly licensed drivers would decrease crash involvement.