As summer approaches, America’s roads are getting a little more dangerous.
Experts are calling the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day the “deadliest 100 days of summer” due to consecutive spikes in teen driving accidents.
According to the New York-based National Traffic Safety Foundation, teen traffic fatalities increase by more than 20 percent during the summer.
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According to a press release from the foundation, an average of 2,100 teens are involved in fatal crashes each year, and 30% of those deaths, or seven deaths per day, occur over a 100-day period.
To raise awareness, NRSF partnered with youth organizations such as Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) to make this summer safer.
According to NHTSA data, about 54% of teens (ages 13 to 19) who died in traffic accidents were unbuckled. (St. Petersburg)
In an interview with FOX News Digital, SADD Executive Director Scott Myers said summer is “the most dangerous time of the year” for teen drivers who skip school to go to work, vacation or activities with friends. said.
“Basically, they spend a lot of time on the road,” said Myers, who is based in Missouri. “And the statistics would show that teen drivers are distracted by everything.”
Common distractions can include passengers, roadside signs and cell phones, he said.
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Meyers said more pedestrians walk and bike in the summer, which statistically leads to more accidents.
Meyers said more than 50 percent of teenage drivers involved in crashes were not wearing seat belts, increasing the risk.
Distractions for teen drivers can include passengers, roadside signs and cell phones, one expert said. (St. Petersburg)
Bill Van Tassel, a driving expert with the AAA National Office, also spoke about the “100 Most Dangerous Days” in a separate interview with FOX News Digital, saying there had been “a lot of changes” in teenage drivers. Stated. summer is coming.
“The environment in which we drive has changed dramatically,” said Van Tassel, who is based in Longwood, Florida. “Part of this is due to increased risks while driving.”
Of the 21,461 fatal crashes involving teenagers in the United States from 2013 to 2022, 31% occurred between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
“Overall, it’s important to not only help teens themselves understand that this is a dangerous time, but to also spread the information to their parents, who ideally will be actively involved in their teen’s driving.”
According to AAA data, there were a total of 21,461 fatal crashes involving teenagers in the United States between 2013 and 2022, 31% of which occurred between Memorial Day and Labor Day. .
One expert noted that during the summer, teenagers are at higher risk of accidents because they drive “different routes” and at “different times of the day, especially at night.” (iStock)
SADD’s 2024 campaign is dubbed “The Safest Summer Ever,” and promotes safety practices such as wearing seatbelts and avoiding distractions, said Samantha Talarico, communications manager for the Tennessee-based company. The centerpiece will be a student-led program that teaches good habits.
“We want to continue to help these young people have these conversations,” she told FOX News Digital. “Because they can just as easily turn around and say, ‘Hey, buckle your seatbelts,’ as easily as they can say, ‘Oh, that’s ridiculous, we don’t need to do that.’ ”
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As Myers noted, the awareness campaign encourages students to share these messages on social media and “be a positive influence” on their peers through fun games and activities.
Talarico said SADD is working with national and state-based student leadership councils to determine necessary conversations regarding mental health, substance abuse, traffic safety and other initiatives related to teens.
In 2023, SADD completed a total of 2,300 events with 236,000 student participants, including those shown here. (Sad)
Myers and Talarico agreed that SADD’s student-led approach is key to resonating with teens. Because teens know best what influences their peers.
”[The students] Always say to us, “We don’t want people talking to us.” We just want to talk to each other,” Talarico said.
Advice for teen drivers amid ‘newfound freedom’
To reduce the risk of a summer car accident, Meyers said there are several ways to stay safe, including obeying speed limits, wearing your seat belt, and “doing nothing beyond what you’re comfortable with.” He encouraged teen drivers to do the best they can.
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“For teenage drivers, it’s a newfound freedom and an opportunity to take risks,” he said. “Sometimes those risks are beyond our comfort level.”
Myers said, “If you’re not comfortable, if you’re not feeling well, you probably need to stop…and you need to pull over. Whatever the situation is, you probably need to say no.” I gave advice.
SADD teaches “lifesaving skills” through programs such as “Rock the Belt,” which has increased seat belt use among teens. (Sad)
Parents and guardians also have a responsibility to check their teens’ comfort level behind the wheel and encourage them to make healthy decisions, Myers added.
He said he hoped it would “save their lives and the lives of others.”
Van Tassel noted that Americans sometimes take their “right to drive” for granted, ignoring traffic laws.
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“We need to take it seriously because that privilege could be taken away from us,” he told Fox News Digital. “It means thinking about driving more than usual.”
Because everyday driving can sometimes be mindless, Van Tassel encouraged all drivers to be “100% aware” of what’s going on around them because “it’s hard to avoid hitting something if you can’t see it.”
A driving expert has advised parents not to text their children when they know they will be driving. (St. Petersburg)
Van Tassel warned that distracted driving is “even more troubling” for teenagers, who feel constant social pressure to attend events and are more likely to reach for their mobile phones while driving. did.
“They might think, ‘I’m just going to look at a screen a little bit or send a text,'” he says. “But it only takes half a second to miss something important. [on the road] –And you’re in big trouble.”
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Driving experts encourage parents and guardians to drive with their children for “supervised practice” to help them gain experience and to share their own driving knowledge and experience. encouraged.
“It only takes half a second to miss something important, and then you’re in big trouble.”
“At least the same amount or more parental supervision is required during the summer,” he said.
“Parents should ideally request check-ins before every trip and be as involved as possible with their teen’s driving.”
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