Getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage as a teen – and also a source of constant stress and anxiety for the parents. Good news shows that NJ teens are protected by safety laws while on the road, with New Jersey ranking 3rd on a list of the Best States for Teen Drivers, according to a new Wallet Hub report.
The personal finance site released the report on the Best & Worst States for Teen Drivers for 2024, comparing the 50 states among 23 key metrics. The data set ranges from the number of teen driver fatalities to the average cost of car repairs to the presence of impaired driving laws.
This is the second year in a row that New Jersey placed third on the list.
New Jersey placed high on most metrics, with 1 being the best and 25 being average:
Overall Rank: 3rd
1st: Presence of impaired-driving laws
1st: Presence of distracted-driving and/or texting-while-driving laws
1st: Provision of teen driver’s Graduated Licensing Program laws
7th: Teen driver fatalities per 100,000 teens
7th: Presence of occupant-protection laws
9th: Vehicle miles traveled per capita
12th: Teen DUIs per 100,000 teens
22nd: Premium increase after adding a teen driver to their parent’s policy
New Jersey is also pushing for a new law that would require new drivers under age 21 who have their exam permit and special learner’s permit to complete at least 50 hours of practice driving. Part of the stipulations is that they must practice for 10 hours in the dark.
These are the 10 Best States for Teen Drivers, according to WalletHub:
1. New York
2. Oregon
3. New Jersey
4. Washington
5. Massachusetts
6. Connecticut
7. Alaska
8. Kentucky
9. West Virginia
10. California
In a separate study, personal injury lawyers at the Schiller Kessler Group reviewed the best state for driving tests, and New Jersey placed fifth on their list. Experts used National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data to look at the number of fatal car crashes in each area with the presence of driving schools, per 100,000 residents.
New Jersey reported 31.2 crashes per 100,000 drivers, which is 40 percent lower than the national average of 52.2.
Hudson County is the state’s safest county, with 15.07 crashes per 100,000 residents, which is 87 percent safer than the average county, which experiences 144.43 crashes per 100,000. This may seem surprising due to the city-like nature of its towns, but according to one of the researchers, the methodology of the study normalised each county’s score by its population. “In rural areas, there may be a lower number of crashes, but due to lower population statistics, Hudson County came out on top,” shares Gracie Rogers. “The basic premise is the statistical likelihood of any one person in each county (specifically those which have a driving school, as they were the ones this study analyzed) being involved in a crash, so the higher population numbers meant the chance is much lower.”
The Top 10 Safest States and Counties for Student Drivers are:
- Orleans County in New York
- Suffolk County in Massachusetts
- Bristol County in Rhode Island
- Washington County in Minnesota
- Hudson County in New Jersey
- Davis County in Utah
- Kauai County in Hawaii
- Wahkiakum County in Washington
- Wells County in North Dakota
- Western Connecticut Planning Region in Connecticut
Get the latest on the best things to do with your family in and around New Jersey by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!
Read More:
Here’s How Teens Can Get Free Uber Rides – and Food – During September