Auto safety report urges Arizona to require motorcycle helmets, limit teen drivers

PHOENIX — Various legal overhauls are needed to make Arizona’s highways safer, according to a new report from the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.

The organization’s president, Cathy Chase, said there’s a lot Arizona can do to reduce traffic collisions and fatalities — especially when it comes to children.

“In terms of what the laws are lacking in Arizona, there could be improvements to child passenger safety laws and to teen graduated driver licensing laws,” Chase told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Thursday. “Those laws allow teen drivers to get experience under their belts in less dangerous driving conditions before they’re given a driver’s license.”

The recent report included a list of proposed public safety laws — or existing laws that can be expanded to keep drivers and pedestrians safer.

“The laws that we include in our report are the optimal laws, so while Arizona may have some provisions in place, we’d like to see them improved,” Chase said.

What solutions can address the issue of pervasive Arizona car crashes?

The report found various highway laws needed in Arizona, including:

• Minimum ages for getting a learner’s permit and license
• Requiring children aged 12 and under to sit in the backseat
• Mandating children sit facing the rear up to the age of 2

“Teens’ brains are not fully formed so we need these laws to keep teenagers and everyone else on the road with them alive,” Chase said.

Other highway laws the report said it would like to see added or expanded include primary enforcement front and rear seat belt laws, all-rider motorcycle helmet laws, booster seat laws and a nighttime driving restriction provision.

“We’d like to see all motorcycle riders wearing a helmet,” Chase said. “Motorcycles are the most dangerous form of surface transportation and helmets, obviously, protect one’s head … It’s not a question of if you’re ever going to be in a crash. It’s when.”

The report also urged Arizona lawmakers to consider a GDL cell phone restriction and a passenger restriction provision.

How bad are Arizona car crashes?

Driving the streets of Arizona can be a dangerous experience. In fact, Arizonans pay almost $6 billion each year due to motor vehicle crashes.

In addition to the annual cost of $5.95 billion, Arizona car crashes have also caused a ten-year fatality total of 10,463, the report found.

In 2023, 1,315 people died due to traffic incidents.