Summer will be here before we know it! Especially in Western and Central New York, we want to take advantage of the nice weather by all means possible. Unfortunately, with more people out on the road (especially teen drivers), this time of year is the deadliest when it comes to teen driver fatal crashes.

The risk of motor vehicle crashes is highest among teens than any other age group. Over the past five years, nearly 3,500 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers during the 100 Deadliest Days, the time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 

The average number of daily deaths from crashes involving drivers ages 15 to 18 is 17% higher compared with the rest of the year, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. And it’s not just teens who are at risk—nearly two-thirds of those injured or killed in a crash involving a teen driver are other age groups. 

There are three major factors that contribute to fatal teen crashes during the summer:

• Speeding (28%): This growing problem among teen drivers significantly increases the severity of a crash. In the AAA Foundation’s latest Traffic Safety Culture Index, half (49.7%) of teen drivers reported recently speeding on a residential street and nearly 40 percent say they sped on the freeway. 
• Drinking and driving (17%): Even though teens cannot legally consume alcohol, 1 in 6 teen drivers involved in fatal crashes during the summer tested positive for alcohol. 
• Distraction (9%): More than half of teen drivers (52%) report recently reading a text message or email while driving, and nearly 40% report sending a text or email. While federal crash data shows just under 10% of crashes are related to this type of distracted behavior, AAA Foundation research found distraction was involved in 58% of teen crashes, approximately four times as many as federal estimates. It is difficult for law enforcement to detect distraction following a crash, which has made it one of the most underreported traffic safety problems. 

“Parents have plenty to be concerned about as their teen hits the road this summer,” said AAA Western and Central New York public affairs director, Elizabeth Carey. “Teens are making deadly mistakes, and parents are the best line of defense to keep everyone safe behind the wheel.”

Teens should store phones out of reach, mind speed limits, and stay away from impairing substances such as alcohol and marijuana. AAA encourages parents to:

• Talk with teens early and often about avoiding dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.
• Teach by example and minimize risky behavior.
• Make a parent-teen driving agreement setting family rules for driving.

AAA recommends enrolling teens in a driver education program that teaches safety skills, including avoiding distracted driving. AAA also has online tools for parents and teens, including TeenDriving.AAA.com and the StartSmart program. 

Teen Driving