HHS HealthBeat (February 25, 2013)

Young and on the roads

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Nicholas Garlow with HHS HealthBeat.

Young drivers are still a high-risk group for highway tragedy. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says traffic death rates among 15- to 24-year-olds have generally gone down from 1999 to 2011. For instance, death rates for 15- to 19-year-olds fell by about half.

CDC Director Thomas Frieden offers some possible explanations – things like wearing seat belts, not drinking and driving, adhering to graduated drivers license rules, and following parents’ clear rules on safe driving.

But Dr. Frieden notes:

“Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for people age 15 to 24 – 19 deaths every day.”

The analysis is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at healthfinder.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Nicholas Garlow.

Last revised: March 20, 2013