If you have a teenage driver, take a few minutes to talk to them about driving this summer. We are now in what AAA calls the 100 Deadliest Days for teenage drivers, the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day. During that time in 2016,more than 1,050 people lost their lives in crashes involving a teenage driver; that’s an average of 10 people per day.
According to AAA statistics, during the 100 deadliest days last year, the two most significant factors attributed to the spike in fatal accidents were speed and nighttime driving. 36% of all vehicular fatalities involving a teenage driver happened between 9pm and 5am. 29% of all vehicular fatalities involving a teenage driver were speed related. AAA is encouraging parents to talk with their teen drivers in order to educate them on the deadly consequences of dangerous driving behaviors.
“The number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers during the summer is an important traffic safety concern and research shows that young drivers are at greater risk and have higher crash rates compared to older and more experienced drivers,” said Dr. David Yang, Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Through education, proper training, and involvement of parents, we can help our young drivers to become better and safer drivers, which in turn keeps the roads safer for everyone.”
Please stay safe out there on the roads this summer and talk to your teen drivers about safe driving practices; not only for their safety, but for the safety of others on the road as well. To find helpful resources on educating your teen driver click here. Our attorneys are always here to help but we would certainly rather help keep your family safe.