I was terrified when I received my first Utah driver’s license at age 16. That was before Utah’s first graduated driver licensing law went into effect in 1999, so I had very little practice before I was expected to drive on my own. I didn’t have enough experience to be safe and confident on the road. Today’s Utah teenagers enjoy a smoother transition into driving, thanks to the Graduated Driver License (GDL) program, which provides 16 and 17 year-old drivers with learner permits for six months of supervised practice prior to beginning to drive alone. Reference A
Looking back at statistics over the past couple decades, I see that my fears were not unfounded. Utah children and teens were not as safe on the road in the 90’s as they are today. A series of good legislative decisions, such as requiring graduated drivers’ licenses, seat belts, car seats and booster seats, has contributed to lower rates of automobile-related death and injury among Utah kids. Making the right policy choices saves lives.
For more information about trends in Utah child well-being, see Utah Measures of Child Well-being and the Utah Kids Count website.