Table 1

Young Drivers (15-20) Involved in Fatal Crashes by Year and 

BAC Level

Drivers Involved by their BAC Level

Calendar Total Young Any Alcohol High Alcohol 

Year Drivers Involved (BAC 0.01+) (BAC 0.08+) 

Number Rate* Number Rate* Number Rate*

1999 8,187 64.71 1,772 14.01 1,368 10.81

2000 8,224 63.83 1,932 15.00 1,496 11.61

2001 8,166 64.84 1,885 14.97 1,444 11.47

2002 8,325 66.39 1,913 15.25 1,460 11.64

2003 7,884 63.37 1,861 14.96 1,466 11.78

Source: FARS 1999-2002 (Final), 2003 (ARF), Driver Licensing – FHWA,

*Per 100,000 Licensed Young Drivers

 

Definitions

A motor vehicle crash is considered to be alcohol-related if 

at least one driver or nonoccupant (such as a pedestrian or 

pedalcyclist) involved in the crash is determined to have 

had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.01 gram per 

deciliter (g/dl) or higher. Thus, any fatality that occurs in an 

alcohol-related crash is considered an alcohol-related fatality. 

The term “alcohol-related” does not indicate that a crash or 

fatality was caused by the presence of alcohol.

December 2004 A Brief Statistical Summary DOT HS 809 820

Young Drivers (15-20) Involved in 

Fatal Crashes

Traffic Safety Facts

Crash•Stats

National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 

(NHTSA) National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA) 

released the latest annual crash statistics for the year 2003. 

A total of 42,643 people died on the Nation’s highways. 

The numbers were made available from NHTSA’s Fatality 

Analysis Reporting System (FARS), which annually collects 

crash statistics from 50 States, the District of Columbia and 

Puerto Rico. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of 

death for 15 to 20 year olds (based on 2001 figures, which are 

the latest mortality data currently available from the National 

Center for Health Statistics). This Crash•Stats looks at young 

drivers (15-20) involved in fatal crashes, their Blood Alcohol 

Concentration (BAC) level and involvement rate per 100,000 

licensed young drivers.

All states and the District of Columbia have 21-year-old 

minimum drinking age laws, yet there were 1,861 young 

drivers involved in alcohol related fatal crashes in 2003. Table 

1 shows five-year trend data of young drivers involved in 

fatal crashes by their BAC level and rate per 100,000 licensed 

young drivers. Young drivers in fatal crashes with any alcohol 

(BAC 0.01 +) levels, increased by 5 percent, (from 1,772 in 

1999 to 1,861 in 2003), whereas the driver involvement rate 

for young drivers increased by 7 percent, (from 14.01 in 1999 

to 14.96 in 2003). Table 2 (overleaf) shows young drivers 

involved in fatal crashes in 2003 by state, their BAC level and 

involvement rate per 100,000 licensed young drivers.

For questions regarding the data reported in this note, contact Umesh G. Shankar [202-366-5558] or Cherian Varghese 

[202-366-1114]. Some of the findings in this note were obtained from the following NCSA publication: DOT HS 809 774. 

This crash stats and other general information on highway traffic safety may be accessed by internet users at: http://wwwnrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/deparments/nrd-30/ncsa/AvailInf.html
Table 2

Young Drivers (15-20) Involved in Fatal Crashes by State and BAC Level - 2003

Drivers Involved by their BAC Level

 State Total Young Drivers Involved Any Alcohol (BAC 0.01+) High Alcohol (BAC 0.08+)

Number Rate* Number Rate* Number Rate*

Alabama 195 71.11 51 18.60 41 14.95

Alaska 19 54.06 2 5.69 2 5.69

Arizona 168 85.96 40 20.47 35 17.91

Arkansas 110 76.79 30 20.94 17 11.87

California 719 55.54 150 11.59 116 8.96

Colorado 135 72.35 28 15.01 23 12.33

Connecticut 48 35.16 15 10.99 13 9.52

Delaware 37 98.70 8 21.34 5 13.34

Dist of Columbia 11 139.75 3 38.11 3 38.11

Florida 570 90.20 106 16.77 79 12.50

Georgia 293 83.96 41 11.75 35 10.03

Hawaii 25 59.12 14 33.11 9 21.28

Idaho 47 59.54 11 13.93 8 10.13

Illinois 302 51.48 71 12.10 53 9.04

Indiana 184 59.93 30 9.77 20 6.51

Iowa 88 54.53 20 12.39 17 10.53

Kansas 100 56.33 32 18.02 28 15.77

Kentucky 149 84.65 21 11.93 17 9.66

Louisiana 162 85.23 41 21.57 35 18.41

Maine 33 56.03 5 8.49 5 8.49

Maryland 118 56.61 38 18.23 25 11.99

Massachusetts 94 35.71 39 14.81 33 12.54

Michigan 248 49.41 43 8.57 34 6.77

Minnesota 136 56.45 25 10.38 18 7.47

Mississippi 146 87.68 30 18.02 27 16.21

Missouri 249 81.88 62 20.39 48 15.78

Montana 53 84.62 18 28.74 12 19.16

Nebraska 57 48.85 16 13.71 14 12.00

Nevada 65 83.04 15 19.16 12 15.33

New Hampshire 21 31.30 4 5.96 1 1.49

New Jersey 114 37.35 25 8.19 22 7.21

New Mexico 79 66.97 23 19.50 18 15.26

New York 236 39.53 55 9.21 46 7.71

North Carolina 286 97.11 64 21.73 49 16.64

North Dakota 28 58.99 14 29.50 13 27.39

Ohio 283 55.22 56 10.93 41 8.00

Oklahoma 122 61.13 26 13.03 19 9.52

Oregon 84 56.13 17 11.36 11 7.35

Pennsylvania 307 67.30 67 14.69 56 12.28

Rhode Island 25 68.14 10 27.25 10 27.25

South Carolina 167 74.03 49 21.72 37 16.40

South Dakota 28 57.14 13 26.53 11 22.45

Tennessee 208 72.30 46 15.99 40 13.90

Texas 714 75.67 227 24.06 187 19.82

Utah 70 43.27 8 4.95 6 3.71

Vermont 16 49.72 4 12.43 4 12.43

Virginia 163 56.39 41 14.19 31 10.73

Washington 123 48.26 37 14.52 27 10.59

West Virginia 62 78.42 15 18.97 11 13.91

Wisconsin 166 57.69 55 19.11 45 15.64

Wyoming 21 61.94 3 8.85 3 8.85

National 7,884 63.37 1,861 14.96 1,466 11.78

Source: FARS 2003 (ARF), Driver Licensing – FHWA * Per 100,000 Licensed Young Drivers

National Center for Statistics and Analysis 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590