New Jersey Sees Drop in Teen Driver Deaths

New Jersey highway safety officials say the number of teenage drivers and passengers killed in motor vehicle crashes has declined for a third straight year.

Fifty-nine teen drivers and passengers driven by teens were killed last year. That’s down from 68 in 2007 and 73 in 2006.

New Jersey created a special panel to study teenage driver safety in 2007, two months after three teens died in a fiery crash in Monmouth County.

Last year, it released a report with 47 recommendations for improving safety. Some safety awareness initiatives are under way in schools, and the state has banned plea agreements for teens who commit driving violations.

Other recommendations go into effect next year, including an 11 p.m. curfew for teen drivers and a limit on passengers to just one.