Teenage drivers across Indiana and the rest of the United States often engage in dangerous driving behaviors. They also lack the behind-the-wheel experience that older drivers have. These are among the reasons the summer months are a particularly dangerous time to drive, with fatal and nonfatal crashes involving teen motorists increasing during this time.
According to WTHR, the span that occurs between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year is especially hazardous, because most teenagers are no longer in school and therefore have more free time to spend out on the roads.
100 Deadliest Days crash numbers
Each year during the stretch of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, known as summer’s 100 Deadliest Days, an average of seven people die a day in crashes across the United States. This is a 20% increase over the number of crashes that occur daily throughout the rest of the year. Many of the 100 Deadliest Days crashes that result in one or more fatalities also share similar characteristics in common.
100 Deadliest Days crash contributing factors
Distracted driving often contributes to teen driver-involved crashes. Cellphone use is a frequent source of distraction for teens. Other teenage passengers also increase the dangers for everyone sharing the road with teenage drivers, as they are also a common source of distraction among drivers in this age group. Many fatal and nonfatal wrecks involving teenage motorists also involve alcohol, speed or a combination of both.
Parents may be able to help protect their own teen drivers – and everyone sharing the streets with them – by setting driving restrictions and modeling responsible driving behavior, themselves.