With teens obtaining driver’s licenses during the summer more than any other season and an average of seven teens dying every day from motor vehicle injuries, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021’s Best & Worst States for Teen Drivers, as well as accompanying videos and expert commentary.
In order to determine the safest and least costly driving environments for U.S. teenagers, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 23 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of teen driver fatalities to the average cost of car repairs to the presence of impaired-driving laws.
| Best States for Teen Drivers | Worst States for Teen Drivers |
| 1. New York | 41. South Carolina |
| 2. Oregon | 42. New Hampshire |
| 3. Connecticut | 43. Arkansas |
| 4. Alaska | 44. Nebraska |
| 5. Massachusetts | 45. Mississippi |
| 6. Michigan | 46. Missouri |
| 7. Minnesota | 47. Montana |
| 8. Texas | 48. South Dakota |
| 9. Maryland | 49. Idaho |
| 10. New Jersey | 50. Wyoming |
Best vs. Worst
- Rhode Island is among the states with the fewest teen driver fatalities per 100,000 teens, at 1.10, which is 15.9 times fewer than in Wyoming, the state with the most at 17.45.
- Tennessee has the lowest share of major roads in poor or mediocre condition, 14.00 percent, which is 5.5 times lower than in Rhode Island, the state with the highest at 77.00 percent.
- Hawaii has the lowest premium increase after adding a teen driver to a parent’s auto-insurance policy, 3.00 percent, which is 74.3 times lower than in New Jersey, the state with the highest at 223.00 percent.
- New York has the fewest vehicle miles traveled per capita, 6,335, which is 2.8 times fewer than in Wyoming, the state with the most at 17,569.
To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/
More from WalletHub
Expert Commentary
Should we increase the age at which an individual is eligible for a license to 18?
“Driving provides an opportunity for teens to increase autonomy and self-efficacy, which are important developmental goals before adulthood. Driving also improves the ability for teens in areas without public transportation to participate in the workforce, extracurricular activities, etc. As teens are seeking increased responsibility and self-sufficiency, one way to support their development is by allowing them to get their license, which provides independent mobility.”
Sarah M. Tashjian, J.D., Ph.D. – Postdoctoral Scholar in Affective Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology
“I am against increasing the licensure age. As a parent of a recent teenage driver, I feel that driving under parents' supervision is safer compared to on their own, which is more accessible when they started driving before 18. Driving is not a necessity for most high schoolers, which reduces the stress and allows them to learn to drive in relatively safe and familiar environments. Increasing the license age to 18 means they must go through the most dangerous phase of driving at college or while working, typically in a new environment.”
Feng Guo, Ph.D. – Professor, Virginia Tech
What tips do you have for minimizing the costs (insurance, etc.) associated with having a teen driver in the household?
“Explore the premium savings that insurance companies may have (discounts) for young drivers in the family/household (e.g., discounts for maintaining good grades, safe driver monitoring programs, etc.).”
Federico Vaca, MD, MPH – Professor, Yale University
“Make sure that your teen driver takes all available training and educational programs that are available in your areas. In some states, these can benefit your insurance premiums. Some insurance programs also offer safe driver plans that include monitoring your vehicle for evidence of risky behavior like hard braking. Participating in those programs can also reduce premiums in some states.”
David S. Hurwitz, Ph.D., F.ITE – Professor, Oregon State University
What should policymakers do to increase the safety of teen drivers?
“Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) is effective in reducing teen driver crashes. Education and Training also reduce driving risks and accelerates teen drivers' understanding of roadway risks and strategies to detect, anticipate, and mitigate these risks. A combination of sound GDL deployment and robust training and education will contribute greatly to increasing the safety of teen drivers.”
Anuj K. Pradhan, MS, Ph.D. – Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts Amherst
“Increase investment in public transportation, such as buses, transit trains, and railways, to reduce the use of private vehicles that are the most crash-prone and the least environment-friendly mode of transportation. Enhance and beef up the enforcement of state GDL laws.”
Guohua Li, MD, Ph.D. – Professor, Columbia University
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