Memorial Day marks the start of the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.” It’s that period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when deadly crashes involving teen drivers go up dramatically, as explained by News 6 partner News4JAX.
Every year, roughly 2,000 teen drivers are involved in deadly crashes. Nearly a third of those happen during the 100 deadliest days.
With school about to be out for the summer, more young people and teenagers are out on the road.
“They’re driving at odd hours of the day, they’re driving at night too. Because of their inexperience, they’re more susceptible to engaging in dangerous driving behavior,” said Mark Jenkins, AAA spokesperson.
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Behaviors such as not buckling up, distracted driving and driving with teen passengers are the main factors involved in teen crashes.
“The biggest distraction is driving with other teen passengers. We found that the risk of a fatal crash increases with each number of teen passengers that’s in the car,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins said the research shows this can lead to some of that more impulsive behavior behind the wheel. To put a stop to this behavior before it even starts, Jenkins said, parents need to check their own behavior and be the best driver they can be so that they set the right example for their kids.
“Even when your kids are too young to drive, they’re watching you. They’re learning (from) your driving habits and that’s ultimately going to affect the type of driver they become,” Jenkins said.
Jenkins also said parents should conduct at least 50 hours of driving practice with their kids and be fully engaged in their learning.
To learn more about AAA’s programs and other tips about safe teen driving, visit AAA.com/drive.
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