Key insights from WalletHub’s 2025 analysis on teen drivers

Getting a driver’s license is a rite of passage in the U.S., symbolizing freedom and independence. But for many teens, it comes with serious risks. Drivers aged 16 to 19 face the highest crash rates, and car accidents remain the leading cause of death in this age group. The financial impact is staggering as well — teen-related crashes cost an estimated $40.7 billion each year in medical expenses and lost productivity, not including ongoing costs like insurance hikes, tickets, and repairs.

To shed light on where teens face the safest and most affordable driving conditions, WalletHub analyzed all 50 states across 23 key metrics — from fatality rates and insurance premiums to impaired-driving laws and road quality.  What follows are some key takeaways from the study.

1. Top & Bottom Performers

• Best states for teen drivers:

  • 1. New York – Overall top ranking (Score: 72.25), 2nd in safety, 23rd in economic environment, 2nd in driving laws.

  • 2. Oregon – Score: 72.01; excels in driving laws (rank 1), strong safety profile.

  • 3. New Jersey – Score: 68.74; top safety rank (1), solid performance in laws and schooling.

    

• Worst states:

  • 50. Montana – Overall score: 23.00

  • 49. Missouri – Overall score: 27.64
  • 48. Wyomng– Overall score: 31.40

2. Safety Metrics

• Teen driver fatalities (per teen population):

  • Fewest: Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Massachusetts

  • Most: Delaware, Arkansas, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming

• Teen DUIs:

  • Fewest: Kentucky, Delaware, Louisiana, Florida, New York

  • Most: (Tie) North Dakota, Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota

3. Costs for Families

• Insurance Premium Increase After Adding a Teen Driver:

  • Lowest increase: Hawaii, Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, Washington

(Notably, Hawaii outperforms Maine by a factor of ~34)

• • Highest: Texas, Illinois, West Virginia, Virginia, Maine

• Average Cost of Car Repairs:

  • Least expensive: Maine, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin

  • Most expensive: North Carolina, Georgia, California, Colorado, Connecticut

4. Notable State Highlights

• New York:

  • 2nd fewest teen fatalities, low phone use & poor turning while driving

  • Most driving schools per capita; low rates of texting while driving & DUIs

  • Robust driving laws; premium cost is nonetheless relatively high for high‑risk drivers

• Oregon:

  • Strict enforcement: heavy fines for red-light and seat‑belt violations

  • Over 96% of teens always wear a seat belt

  • High road quality; low rates of phone use and speeding among drivers

• New Jersey:

  • Strong rule enforcement and high driving school density

  • Low teen crash and DUI rates; high seatbelt compliance (~93%)

  • Increased insurance premiums for high-risk teen drivers reinforce safe behavior

This report compiled by InsuranceNewsNet staff.