South Dakotans Driving at 14 Faulted for Fatal Crashes
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South Dakota, the U.S. state with the youngest licensed motorists, could cut fatal wrecks involving teens by more than half if it raises the minimum age to operate a vehicle and limits nighttime driving, an insurance group said.
The state, where a 14-year-old can get a learner’s permit, could reduce the rate of deadly crashes among drivers age 15 to 17 by 63 percent by boosting the licensing age, prohibiting teens from driving after 8 p.m. and restricting passengers, according to an analysis by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an Arlington, Virginia-based nonprofit.