Over the past five years, nearly 3,500 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers between Memorial Day and Labor Day, the period that has become known as the “100 Deadliest Days,” when the number of crash fatalities involving a teen driver historically rise.
New crash data from 2013-2017 reveals that major factors contributing to fatal teen crashes during the summer driving period included:
- Speeding (28 percent);
- Drinking and driving (17 percent); and
- Distraction (nine percent).
“Crash data shows teens are a vulnerable driver group with a higher probability of being involved in crashes,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “And while teens may make mistakes when first learning to drive, it is important to continue educating them about safety behind the wheel so they avoid the reckless behaviors that put themselves and others at risk on the road.”
AAA Foundation research found that nearly two-thirds of people injured or killed in a crash involving a teen driver were people other than the teen behind the wheel. Crashes for teen drivers increase significantly during the summer because teens are out of school and driving more, the AAA Foundation said in a statement.
During the “100 Deadliest Days” over the past five years:
- An average of almost 700 people died each year in crashes involving teen drivers.
- The average number of deaths from crashes involving teen drivers ages 15-18 was 17 percent higher per day compared to other days of the year.
The AAA Foundation pointed out that research has found that reckless behavior such as drinking and driving, speeding, and distraction were significant factors contributing to the number of crash deaths involving teen drivers every summer.
“Teens should prepare for summer driving by practicing safety during every trip,” said Lori Weaver Hawkins, manager of public and government affairs at AAA Blue Grass. “Storing your phone out of reach, minding the speed limit, and staying away from impairing substances like alcohol and marijuana will help prevent many crashes from ever occurring.”
Speeding significantly increases the severity of a crash and is a growing problem among teen drivers. In the AAA Foundation's latest traffic safety culture index, half (49.7 percent) of teen drivers reported speeding on a residential street in the past 30 days and nearly 40 percent say they sped on the freeway.
Despite the fact that teens cannot legally consume alcohol, one in six teen drivers involved in fatal crashes during the summer tested positive for alcohol.
More than half of teen drivers (52 percent) in the AAA Foundation's latest traffic safety culture index reported reading a text message or email while driving in the past 30 days and nearly 40 percent reported sending a text or email. The AAA Foundation said that it was difficult for law enforcement to detect distraction following a crash, which has made distracted driving “one of the most underreported traffic safety issues.”
Additional AAA Foundation research using in-vehicle dash-cam videos of teen driver crashes found distraction was involved in 58 percent of teen crashes, approximately four times as many as federal estimates.
Victoria Spears
Victoria Prussen Spears is senior vice president of Meyerowitz Communications Inc., a law firm marketing communications consulting company. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College and Brooklyn Law School, Ms. Spears was an attorney at a leading New York City law firm before joining Meyerowitz Communications. She may be contacted at [email protected].