A new AAA study finds that crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 17 cost the United States more than $34 billion annually in medical expenses, lost work, property damage, quality of life loss and other related costs in 2006. The total cost of teen crashes in California in 2006 was $2.8 billion.

"There are obviously severe consequences for the people directly involved in these crashes and for their family and friends, but the effects don't end there," said Sean Comey, spokesperson for AAA of Northern California. "Our research reveals how these incidents impact everyone, including taxpayers."

According to the analysis conducted by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation for AAA, drivers ages 15 to 17 in 2006 were involved in about 974,000 crashes, injuring 406,427 people and killing 2,541.

The $34.4 billion cost in 2006 includes $9.8 billion in cost from fatal crashes, with an average cost of $3.841 million per fatality. Injury crashes averaged $50,512, costing a total of $20.5 billion. Property damage crashes accounted for the remaining $4.1 billion in cost.

Information about AAA teen safety programs is available online at www.aaa.com/trafficsafety.