The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer

Summer offers parents both relief and anxiety. As school ends, students have more time to enjoy life, which often means they spend more time on the go. For young, inexperienced, and potentially distracted drivers, the risk of summer driving goes up. The statistics on teen automotive accidents is startling enough to earn an ominous title: the 100 Deadliest Days.

Summer Teen Driving Statistics

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, teen drivers ages 16-17 are three times as likely as adults to be involved in an automotive fatality. But why?

Researchers have traced the root cause of this deadly spike in car accidents to three main factors.

Distracted Driving: Teen drivers are more likely to be distracted by smartphones or their passengers, according to one report from AAA. Six in ten teen crashes involve some element of distracted driving.

Talk to your teen about putting their phone out of reach while driving to remove the temptation to text. Limit the number of passengers allowed to travel with your teen until they have earned your trust. 

Buckle Up: Seat belts save lives. In one 2015 study, experts found that 60% of teens killed in car crashes were not wearing seat belts. That goes for adults, too; of the 22,215 motorists killed in 2019, 47% were not using their safety belts.

Educating kids on the importance of seat belts should be a part of their early childhood introduction to riding in a car. Make it an ingrained habit from car seats to the driver seat!

Slow Down: Nearly 30% of all traffic fatalities cite speed as a factor. Another study by AAA found that driving instructors across the US found that exceeding the speed limit, even with adult supervision, is one of the three most common mistakes teens make. Without adult supervision, teens are likely to speed more often. 

Talk to your teen driver about obeying the speed limit and consider using apps that monitor your teen driver to speeding.

Driving Safely in Northern Michigan

All Northern Michigan parents have a responsibility to instill a sense of respect and caution in their young drivers. Educate your child on the dangers of the road and emphasis the elevated risk they face during the summer months. Make sure they understand the basics of road safety and roadside maintenance and keep them safe with regular tune-ups.

Together, we can keep our kids and our roadways safe for everyone.