It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has made summer 2020 unlike the rest. But one unfortunate feature of summer that’s stayed the same is AAA’s 100 Deadliest Days. The “100 Deadliest Days” refers to the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day during which driers, particularly teen drivers, are more likely to be involved in a car accident.
Each year, there are nearly 6 million motor vehicle accidents on U.S. roads, 500,000 of which involve trucks, and approximately 3 million people are injured in those accidents. During the 100 Deadliest Days between 2008 and 2018, over 8,300 people died in car accidents involving teen drivers. That’s about seven people a day every summer.
Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t curbed these deaths. According to AAA, the combination of schools closed, canceled summer jobs, and lifted COVID-19 restrictions could make summer 2020 that much more dangerous for drivers.
“The last decade of crash data shows that teens continue to be over-represented in crashes, and summertime marks an increase of fatal crashes for this age group,” said Dr. David Yang, the executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our data analysis has found, that for every mile driven, new teen drivers 16 to 17-years-old are three-times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults.”
Why Are Teens at Greater Risk?
Teenagers are at a higher risk of getting into a car accident because of their inexperience behind the wheel. Additionally, about 72% of teen drivers between the ages of 16 and 18 have engaged in risky driving behaviors in the last 30 days.
That being said, what can parents do to help keep their kids safe while they’re behind the wheel? Here are a few tips you can use to help protect your teen driver this summer.
Limit the number of drivers
Because teen drivers have less experience driving, they can easily become distracted by their friends and family in the car. The greater number of people in a vehicle, the greater the risk of being in a car accident. Licensing laws often limit the number of passengers that are allowed in your teen driver’s car, but just in case your state doesn’t have a limit, make sure to set a limit with your teen.
Teach your teen to leave their phone in their bag
One of the leading causes of death for teen drivers is distracted driving. It’s all too easy to get distracted by your phone while you’re driving if it’s on the seat next to you or in your console. Teach your teen to keep their phone either in their bag or in the backseat so they’re not tempted to use their phone. Keeping the phone off while they’re driving is another great way to prevent distractions.
Set an example
A major problem for new drivers, and especially teens, is speeding. While you can’t always be there to make sure your teen is following the laws of the road, you can set an example for them while they’re in the car with you. Make sure that you always follow the speed limit yourself and that you never text and drive.
Provide supervised opportunities to practice
The more your teen driver practices with supervision, the better they’ll be at driving when they’re alone. This is especially true when it comes to nighttime driving and driving when it’s raining. Dark streets and wet roads can make your teen uncomfortable behind the wheel, so the more comfortable they get in those situations with your support the better off they’ll be driving solo.
You can’t always protect your teen when they’re driving, but you can set a good example and help them learn how to stay safe on the road. By following these tips, you can better prepare your kids your driving and help protect them during the most dangerous time of the year.
