For many teens, summertime holds the promise of graduation parties, preparation for a new school year — or college — and more time to spend with friends.
On the heels of a record-high number of road trips this Memorial Day weekend, summer also heralds a busy travel season that brings an increased risk for teen drivers.
— an announcement from AAA Northeast
The “100 Deadliest Days” is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal crashes involving teen drivers are the highest. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, 7,435 people died in teen driver-related summertime crashes nationwide from 2013 to 2022. And in 2022 alone, 790 people were killed in these types of crashes — a 10% increase over pre-pandemic 2019.
In Connecticut, 151 teen drivers were involved in fatal crashes from 2013 to 2022, resulting in 175 fatalities. More than 40% of those fatal crashes occurred during the “100 Deadliest Days.” And the numbers are trending in the wrong direction, with 74 fatalities in teen driver crashes between 2020-22, nearly as many as the previous five years.
Photo from Upsplash.com
AAA says top contributors to unsafe driving among teens are risky driving behaviors like speeding, texting and running red lights.
According to the AAA Foundation Traffic Safety Culture Index, risky driving behaviors like speeding, texting and running red lights are top contributors to unsafe driving among teens. To counteract the dangerous summertime trend for young drivers, AAA Northeast is encouraging teens to identify their reasons to drive safely this summer.
At a AAA Northeast Teen Safety Summit held last week in New York, high school students shared what’s driving them to practice safe habits on the road this summer. At the top of their lists were family and friends, walking across the stage at high school graduation and achieving life goals.
“For many teen drivers, summer brings more free time with friends and plenty of potential distractions, such as phone use and multiple teen passengers — all of which increase their crash risk,” said Alec Slatky, managing director of public and government affairs for AAA Northeast.
“Any time is the right time for parents and caregivers to talk with their teens about risky driving behaviors, the importance of continued driving practice to develop their skills and the many reasons they have to stay safe on the road this summer and beyond.”
As more drivers take to the road this summer, it’s an excellent time for parents to model safe driving behaviors and help ensure their teens practice them. Parents and caregivers of young drivers should talk with their teens early and often about abstaining from behaviors such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.
And, as many families look to get their teens licensed this summer, AAA offers helpful tips for choosing a high-quality driving school:
- Choose a school, like the AAA Driver Training School, that is a member of a professional association. This indicates that the school cares about the driver instruction profession and is staying up to date on the latest safety trends. Relevant associations include national associations, such as The American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA) and The Driving School Association of the Americas (DSAA), as well as state- and regional-level associations.
- Find a school that uses a curriculum that meets the national standards for curriculum content and includes modern topics, including:
- Advanced vehicle technology, such as Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Keeping Assist.
- Sharing the road with vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, pedestrians and motorcycles — plus Slow Down, Move Over laws.
- The impact of cannabis on driving abilities.