Each year when school lets out for the summer, you can expect to see an influx of teenage drivers on Kentucky’s roadways. You can also plan on seeing a notable increase in the number of teen driver-involved crashes taking place across the state. Teenagers typically lack the driving experience that older drivers have, which can make them more prone to causing car wrecks. Many teenagers also take unnecessary risks while driving, making them even more of a potential danger to others.
Per AAA, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day has become such a dangerous time to be on the road that it has become known as summer’s “100 Deadliest Days.” Just how dangerous is it to share the road with teenage drivers during summer’s 100 Deadliest Days, and is there anything you can do to help protect yourself and your loved ones?
Statistics surrounding summer’s 100 Deadliest Days
How risky is it to drive during summer’s 100 Deadliest Days in comparison to the rest of the year? In 2016, for example, statistics showed a 14% increase in the number of drivers and passengers who lost their lives in accidents involving teen drivers during the 100 Deadliest Days period. An average of 10 people died every day during that timeframe in car crashes with teenage drivers, with 1,050 people in total losing their lives in teenager-involved crashes that year.
While a teen driver’s lack of experience often plays a role in the likelihood that he or she will get into a car wreck, teens who take dangerous risks behind the wheel increase their chances of an accident even further. For example, almost 30% of all road deaths involving teenage drivers in 2016’s 100 Deadliest Day period involved speeding, while speed was also a factor in one out of every 10 roadway fatalities involving teenage drivers during that same time.
If you have teenage drivers living in your home, make sure they are well-informed about the dangers of speeding, distracted driving and other common causes of car wrecks. By monitoring your teenager’s whereabouts and when he or she drives, you may be able to help reduce the number of lives lost during this year’s 100 Deadliest Day period.