Colorado Reduces Teen Driving Fatalities Using Science to Inform the Policy Process

After the GDL law was strengthened to reflect the best available science, CTDA

• Developed outreach materials to educate parents, teens, and law enforcement about the GDL law
• Created a website (www.coteendriver.com) targeted at parents, teens, and safety advocates (e.g., local public health departments, law enforcement, schools) to house GDL outreach materials; all CTDA members promote the website, ensuring consistent messaging across partner activities
• Provided technical assistance to local communities implementing teen driving safety programs
• Developed a local motor vehicle policy action plan template for local public health departments and local teen driving safety coalitions
• Provided education about ways Colorado can strengthen its motor vehicle safety laws to align with best practices, including implementation of a cell phone/texting ban for teens enacted in 2009

CTDA continues to meet monthly to coordinate state-level efforts to implement evidence-based strategies to improve teen driving safety. CTDA members include the state’s health department, Department of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles, and State Patrol, as well as AAA Colorado, Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Safe Kids Colorado, Drive Smart Colorado, State Farm, Swedish Hospital, Denver Public Health, Jefferson County Public Health, Pueblo City/County Health Department, driving schools, and others.

From 2004 to 2010, the Colorado teen motor vehicle death rate decreased from 31.9 to 12.1 per 100,000 teens aged 15–19. This 62% reduction was due, in part, to Colorado’s strengthening the GDL law and the CTDA’s efforts to support its implementation.

• Motor vehicle safety was named as one of Colorado’s Winnable Battles; specifically, by 2016, Colorado aims to 1) decrease teen motor vehicle death rates to 10.5 per 100,000 teens aged 15–19 and 2) increase the overall use of seat belts from 82.1% to 90%
• Teen motor vehicle safety was named one of Colorado’s 2010–2015 Maternal and Child Health Priorities

The partnership between the state health and transportation departments has been crucial to Colorado’s success in reducing teen motor vehicle fatalities. Prior to the CTDA’s formation, each agency addressed teen motor vehicle safety independently. Each brought unique skills and resources to the partnership: the health department had data and evaluation resources, as well as experience addressing motor vehicle safety from a population-based approach, while the transportation department had funding for media campaigns and a local grant-making program. Joining together to create one state action plan for teen motor vehicle safety decreased duplication and pooled resources allocated to educating teens, parents, and law enforcement.