Keeping Your Teens Safe on the Roads During the ‘100 Deadliest Days’

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), more than 7,000 people died in teen-driving-related summertime accidents between 2010 and 2019 — that’s more than seven people per day during the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, dubbed the ‘100 Deadliest Days.’

AAA data also shows that new teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 17 are three times more likely than adults to be involved in a deadly crash.

Here are some quick facts about teen driving:

1. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens.
2. Teenagers have the highest crash rate of all age groups.
3. The top distraction for teens is not their smartphones; it’s their friends — 15% of teen driver crashes are caused by distractions from other passengers, while 12% are caused by smartphone use.
4. During the summer, 260 teens are killed in car crashes each month on average — that’s a 26% increase compared to other months.

What’s Behind the ‘100 Deadliest Days?’

So, why do the roads become so dangerous for teens during the summer? Here are some factors:

• A lack of structure and a carefree summer attitude can cause teens to take more risks while driving, pile more friends into their cars, etc.
• The amount of holidays and ensuing parties in the summer, including graduation parties, Memorial Day and 4th of July events, and other pool parties and cookouts, means the likelihood that teens are drinking, staying out late, and engaging in other risky behaviors before driving is increased.
• Without school in the morning, teens are free to stay out later than usual during the summer. Night driving is more dangerous than day driving because of limited visibility, fatigue, and impaired drivers on the road.
• Drowsy driving is another factor that contributes to the 100 Deadliest Days. Teens hardly ever get enough sleep, but a jam-packed summer schedule filled with sports, social events, and travel can make the chances of drowsy driving even higher. Did you know that drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving? What’s more, teens have the highest risk of drowsy driving.

Factors that Lead to Teen Crashes

There are three errors that commonly lead to deadly teen-driver-related crashes.

1. Distraction — Distraction plays a role in nearly six out of ten teen crashes. The top teen driver distractions are their smartphones and talking with other passengers.
2. Neglecting to buckle up — Research found that 60% of teen drivers who were killed in car crashes weren’t wearing their seatbelt. Teens (and adults) who buckle up significantly lower their risk of dying or being seriously hurt in a car crash. According to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, of the 22,215 people killed in car crashes in 2019, 47% weren’t wearing seat belts.
3. Speeding — Speeding is a factor in about 30 percent of fatal crashes involving teen drivers. Previous AAA research also found that speeding is one of the top three mistakes made by teens when learning to drive.

What Parents Can Do

If you’re a parent of a teen driver, it’s important that you take some time to educate your kids on the 100 Deadliest Days and teach (and model) safe driving habits. Here’s how:

• Tell your kids about the 100 Deadliest Days, pull news stories, information online, and articles like this one so they can understand for themselves what makes the time period so dangerous, and what they can do about it.
• Always practice what you preach and never text and drive, drive drunk or tired, or engage in any other illegal and dangerous driving behaviors. Use designated drivers and Uber or Lyft when you’re going to be drinking and obey all traffic laws at all times. Don’t give your teens any room for ‘monkey see, monkey do’!
• Enforce a strict ‘Zero Tolerance policy when it comes to impaired driving. Let your teens know the dire consequences of impaired driving and the punishments you will enforce if they drive impaired, (e.g., selling their car, grounding them for the summer, taking away their electronics, and so forth).
• Have an open conversation with your teens and let them know that if they ever find themselves in a situation where driving would be dangerous — whether they are the driver or it’s a friend — that they should call you to come pick them up.
• Since nighttime driving is so high-risk, especially for new drivers, set a ‘car curfew’ for your teen drivers — a time that they must bring their vehicle home by. Whether they have to stay home for the night is up to you, but if they are going back out, we recommend dropping them off so they can arrive safely.
• Ensure your teens participate in driving safety courses and get ample supervised practice time. In fact, AAA suggests that parents engage in at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice with their teens. Driving safety courses are a dime a dozen these days and can usually be done online, in person, or both. What’s more, completion of a teen safety driving course can reduce insurance premiums by as much as 10 percent!
• Count on your teen’s car! Phones aren’t the only ‘smart’ things these days. Several automakers are joining the effort to improve teen driving safety. For example, Chevrolet has a Teen Driver Safety System that allows parents to set a speed alert, a volume limit and track their driving performance. The system’s ‘Buckle to Drive’ function will even lock the transmission selector in park for 20 seconds unless the driver puts their seatbelt on.

The bottom line is that teen driving is risky business — there’s no sugarcoating it. But, with ample preparation and communication, you can equip your teen drivers with the skills they need to stay safe on the roads — no matter the season.

If you have been hurt in a car wreck involving a teen driver, contact Bennett Injury Law today. We represent our clients in commercial/18-wheeler crashes, wrongful death, and catastrophic injury, traumatic brain damage, motor vehicle crashes, and workplace injuries.