On the evening of Memorial Day in 2026, an impaired teen driver in Nashville drove recklessly along the shoulder of the road to pass dense traffic, causing a multi-vehicle crash that included a parked tow truck and resulted in significant wreckage, serious injuries, and one fatality.
Getting a driver’s license is a major milestone for many teenagers. States use different approaches to prepare young drivers, but experience and maturity take time to develop, and new drivers are still learning how to handle a wide range of road conditions and situations. Crashes can occur, and in the worst cases they may be fatal.
On average, approximately 64,707 drivers ages 16–25 and 116 drivers under 16 are involved in crashes each year in Tennessee, given the most recent data from Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Additionally, research shows that summertime increases risk as young drivers travel outside their routine with less familiarity. They may also be more likely to travel with friends, which can increase the risk of distracted driving.
At Woodard Injury Law, we believe all crashes are avoidable when practicing safe driving habits. In an effort to raise awareness of young driver safety, we conducted a study presenting the annualized averages of young drivers (aged 25 and under) in Tennessee involved in crashes by contributing action and driver condition.
Furthermore, we analyzed four years (2021–2024) of national fatal crash data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to explore how Tennessee’s young driver fatal crash rate compares to the rest of the country, and how many young Tennessee drivers have been involved in these incidents of the highest severity.
Note: Young drivers are defined as drivers under age 25 in the analysis using Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security data and as drivers ages 16–24 in the analysis using NHTSA data to align with licensed driver data by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
Read on to learn more.
Key Findings
- Tennessee ranked fifth nationwide for the highest young driver fatal crash rate with 5.16 annual fatal crashes per 10,000 young (aged 16–24) licensed drivers.
- Following improperly, failure to yield right of way, and failure to keep in proper lane were the most common actions contributing to crashes among young drivers (aged 25 and under) in Tennessee.
- Young male drivers were nearly three times (2.75) more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than young female drivers (aged 16–24) in Tennessee.
Reported Actions by Young Drivers That Contributed to Crashes
The following figures are based on Tennessee crash data from January 1, 2024 to July 22, 2026 for drivers aged 25 and under. Each total represents the annual average of total drivers exhibiting each action in a crash. Drivers may exhibit more than one action.
More than 27,000 young drivers showed no sign of contributing action. Only a fraction of young drivers, yet still representing a substantial total, showed some improper action, with the most common one being “following improperly”, exhibited by 8,250 young drivers involved in crashes each year.
Failure to yield right of way (6,910 drivers), failure to keep in proper lane (5,554 drivers), and careless erratic driving (2,116 drivers) followed among known driver actions.
An overwhelming majority of young drivers appeared normal at the scene of a crash. Yet, 1,233 young drivers involved in a crash are estimated to be impaired by drugs or alcohol each year. A smaller share of 394 young drivers appeared fatigued, and 311 appeared to be asleep.
Moreover, 238 young drivers involved in annual crashes appeared emotional. Research shows that strong emotions increase crash risk, yet for many individuals it has become a coping mechanism.
Age and Sex of Young Tennessee Drivers Involved in Fatal Crashes
Only a small share of all crashes in the United States are fatal, making these incidents extremely rare events. But when they do occur, the consequences are devastating.
In Tennessee, 1,322 fatal crashes between 2021 and 2024 involved drivers aged 16–24. The chart below breaks down the young drivers involved in these crashes by age and sex.
Over the four-year period, 352 young female drivers and 970 young male drivers were involved in a fatal crash. This makes young men nearly three times (2.75) more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than young women. The single most common age of young drivers involved in fatal crashes was 19, with a total of 177, followed very closely by 24-year-olds with 176 drivers.
Map: Where Are Young Driver Fatal Crashes Happening in Tennessee?
The interactive map below shows where young driver fatal crashes occurred across Tennessee between 2021 and 2024. Zoom in or out and drag the map to explore areas in your neighborhood and surrounding region that may benefit from extra caution while driving.
Nationwide Analysis of Fatal Crashes Involving Young Drivers
The average state recorded an annual young driver fatal crash rate of 3.51 crashes per 10,000 licensed drivers of the same age range.
The following five states had the highest annual fatal crash rate involving at least one driver aged 16–24 per 10,000 licensed drivers of the same age range:
- New Mexico (6.66)
- Kentucky (6.42)
- Mississippi (6.17)
- Louisiana (5.16)
- Tennessee (5.16)
Cities With the Most Fatal Crashes Involving Young Drivers
The following 15 cities represent those across the nation that recorded the most fatal crashes involving young drivers.
While these cities correspond with larger populations, some also highlight areas of concern that help explain elevated rates in certain states. For instance, Memphis, with 284 young driver fatal crashes, and Nashville, with 119, reflect the concentration in Tennessee, which ranks fifth by rate.
Promoting Young Driver Safety
Young driver safety starts with setting a good example. It’s also important for parents, caregivers, and other community leaders to have ongoing conversations with teens and young adults about safe driving habits, risky behaviors to avoid, and the different situations they may encounter on the road.
Reinforcing defensive driving, limiting distractions, and encouraging practice can help young drivers build confidence and develop safer habits over time. When young drivers are equipped with accurate information and real-world experience, they can make better decisions on the road.
Methodology
We analyzed four years (2021–2024) of fatal crash data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database. We define young drivers as any driver between the ages 16–24, and a young driver fatal crash as any fatal crash involving at least one young driver. Rates by state were calculated using 2023 figures on licensed drivers aged 16–24 by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.
Driver actions and conditions were analyzed using data from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security dashboard: Drivers Involved in Crashes by Age, Action and Condition.
Fair use statement
If you’d like to share our findings to raise awareness about young-driver safety, you are welcome to do so. Any republication or sharing of these findings should include a link back to this page so readers can review the full methodology and findings.