The 100 Deadliest Days Are Here – Keep Your Teen Driver Safe

Photo of a shattered windshield and how to keep teen drivers safe

Car accident windshield and how to keep your teen driver safeThe period between Labor Day and Memorial Day is known as the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers. This is because there are more teens on the road during the summer while school is out, and teens are more likely to engage in behaviors that can contribute to car accidents.

Did you know that teenagers are nearly three times as likely to die in car accidents compared to adults? That conclusion comes from a study by AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, which made that determination using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the study:

  • Compared to drivers 18 and up, drivers 16 and 17 are 3.9 times more likely to be involved in an accident
  • Compared to drivers 18 and up, drivers 16 and 17 are 2.6 times more likely to die in a car accident
  • Compared to drivers 30 to 59, drivers 16 and 17 are 4.5 times as likely to be involved in an accident
  • Compared to drivers 30 to 59, drivers 16 and 17 are 3.2 times more likely to die in a car accident
  • Drivers 80 years of age and up are less likely to be involved in fatal crashes compared to teens.

Fatal teen accidents have a variety of causes. The most common is distracted driving. Data show that teens who are distracted by passengers are the most likely to be involved in a fatal accident. Smartphones are also a major cause of teen driving accidents. Other causes include drunk or drugged driving, failure to wear a seat belt and reckless driving behaviors like speeding.



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