Study finds 6% of U.S. teen drivers report driving while unlicensed, unsupervised

One out of 25 (or 4.2%) of Grade 9 to Grade 11 students in the United States report driving at least one hour a week without supervision, according to research undertaken by The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Companies.
“A minority (6%) of today’s teenaged drivers continue to drive unlicensed,” the survey concludes. “On average, they do not seem to have increased crash risk compared with licensed teens.
“However, they display increased unsafe driving behaviours, particularly lower rates of seat belt use, which puts them at higher risk for injury and death when a crash occurs.”
The research was published in the November 2008 edition of the journal Pediatrics. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of unlicensed driving among youth and associated risk factors.
The study found that although “no relationship was found between license status and reported crashes,” unlicensed teenage drivers were more likely to engage in risky behaviours while behind the wheel.
For example, the National Young Driver Survey (NYDS) found that out of 5,665 youth surveyed, unlicensed drivers were much less likely to report seat belt use than licensed drivers. Fifty-six per cent of unlicensed teen drivers reported “always” using seat belts, as opposed to 80% of licensed drivers.
Also, unlicensed teen drivers were considerably more likely to use drugs or alcohol while driving. Twenty per cent of NYDS survey respondents said they “always” or “sometimes” used alcohol or drugs while driving, whereas 9% of licensed drivers reported the same.
The proportion of drivers who reported speeding did not significantly differ between the groups, nor did the rate of recent crashes (i.e. within the past 12 months) or lifetime injury crashes.