Teen driving deaths alarmingly high with Delaware ranking among worst states

A recent report shows Delaware is one of the worst states when it comes to teenage driver crashes and deaths. (Photo by PhotoSpirit/Adobe Stock)

Despite a gradual decline in overall traffic fatalities across the U.S., teenage drivers continue to face a disproportionately high risk of deadly crashes.

A new report from the ConsumerAffairs Research Team reveals that drivers aged 15 to 19 remain nearly four times more likely to be involved in fatal accidents than their older counterparts.

In 2022 alone, more than 2,500 fatalities involved teen drivers—an average of 11.57 deaths per 100,000 American teens.

Though national fatality rates among teens have remained relatively steady over the past decade, experts say that’s hardly a cause for comfort.

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“While teen fatal crashes did rise from 2012 to 2022, this trend was not linear and was not limited to teen drivers,” the report cites Rebecca Weast, a senior research scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). “Fatalities dropped from 2017 to 2019 before rising during COVID, and this trend is also visible across adult drivers.”

While teen crash deaths did rise between 2012 and 2022, the trend wasn’t linear and mirrored broader national patterns, as fatalities dropped between 2017 and 2019 before spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw fewer drivers on the road but more deadly crashes.

To pinpoint where young drivers are most at risk, ConsumerAffairs analyzed fatal crash data across all 50 states, focusing on contributing factors such as reckless driving, speeding, and driving under the influence.

Delaware Ranks Third Worst in the Nation

Delaware emerged as one of the states with the most dangerous driving conditions for teens, ranking third worst overall behind Montana and Wyoming, respectively.

The state recorded 14.29 teen-driver-involved fatalities per 100,000 teens in 2022—well above the national average.

Driving under the influence appears to be a particularly deadly issue for Delaware teens, with 6.35 fatalities per 100,000 involving impaired teen drivers—the second-worst rate in the country behind only Montana.

The state also ranked fourth worst for fatalities stemming from other dangerous driving behaviors, such as aggressive or inattentive driving.

Despite these grim statistics, Delaware did see one bright spot: it had zero fatalities involving teen speeding in 2022, the best record in the U.S.

The state also boasts strong distracted driving laws, including a total cellphone ban for teenage drivers and a hands-free requirement for all motorists.

Still, Delaware’s poor performance echoes a broader pattern. Many of the states with the worst records for teen driving fatalities also rank poorly in general road safety metrics, including high rates of drunk driving, fatal crashes, and road rage incidents.

As traffic deaths remain a persistent public health concern, experts stress the importance of preventive strategies—including comprehensive car insurance, public awareness campaigns, and above all, distraction-free, responsible driving.

Read the full report, including an interactive map and scale, here.