In Washington State, one out of every five people killed in traffic fatalities is a teenager, even though only one driver out of 14 is a teenager. In response to these facts, the Washington state legislature passed an Intermediate Drivers’ License (IDL) law (RCW 46.20.075) that went into effect in July 2001. The law requires that parents of children under the age of 18 must spend an additional 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving time before these young drivers can obtain a driver's license. This law also limits how many other teenagers can drive with a newly licensed teen driver. Late night driving with an IDL is also limited.
Early statistical results seem to show that the IDL law has had a significant and welcome effect. Collision statistics collected in the two years after the law began to affect 16 and 17-year-old drivers, dramatic drops – on the order of 60 percent in each age group – were seen in the number of fatality and disabling injuries for drivers of these ages. Drivers in the 18-year-old group – old enough in every case not to be covered by the new law – showed no comparable decline over the years covered by the analysis.
Number of Fatal and Disabling Injury Accidents for 16 to 19 Year Old Drivers*
Before and After IDL Law**
1999 - 2001 and 2001 - 2003
* Collisions on Washington State Highways. Source: Transportation Data Office, WSDOT
** The Intermediate Driver's Licensing Program (IDL) went into effect July 1, 2001