Parent-imposed limits on high-risk adolescent driving: are they stricter with graduated driver licensing?

The purpose of this study was to determine whether parent-imposed limits on 16-year-old high-risk driving are stricter in Maryland (MD), a state with graduated driver licensing (GDL) than in Connecticut (CT), a non-GDL state. In both states, parents and adolescents completed telephone surveys about the restrictions that parents placed on their adolescents' driving at night, with adolescent passengers, and at high speeds. In Maryland, surveys took place 1 month (294 parent-adolescent pairs) and 4 months (292 parent-adolescent pairs) after provisional licensure. In Connecticut, surveys took place the first month (132 pairs) and the third month (108 pairs) after adolescent licensure. The findings indicated that after controlling for demographic characteristics, Maryland parents and adolescents reported stricter parent-imposed limits for adolescent passengers, high-speed roads, weekend night driving, and overall limits. Parents in GDL states appear better able to establish and enforce adolescent driving restrictions when the licensing state stipulates, favors, and supports regulated adolescent driving.