Oh, to be young and carefree once again, with the long days of summer stretched out ahead like unspooled thread. While that might sound exciting, in reality, teenage drivers have just entered the deadliest driving period of the year.
Known collectively as the “100 days of summer,” the span of months between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day is considered by auto safety industry insiders to be the most dangerous time for young, inexperienced teen drivers to be behind the wheel.
Speed and distractions lead to most deaths
Approximately 2,081 teenage drivers will get into a fatal collision in an average year. However, roughly 30% of them, or 636, will happen during this period of late spring to late summer. It makes sense when one considers that many teens are eager to try out their newly issued drivers’ licenses. All the free time many have during the summer months combined with youthful exuberance and a lack of driving experience is the perfect brew for a deadly summer.
It’s not just the teens who are at risk
You may be lulled into a false sense of security if you think, “I don’t have a teen driver to worry about so I should be all right.” The accidents with fatalities and injuries that they cause also affect others who share the roads with them. People of all ages heading out on errands, driving to and from work or taking their families on vacation all face heightened risks during this period.
Numbers don’t lie
The National Road Safety Foundation’s Director of Operations stated, “On average six teens die per day, but during that time, that number triples.” She added that parents should insist teen drivers and all passengers remain buckled in, reduce the number of passengers in their vehicles, lower the car stereo volume and reduce conversations in the car that can distract young drivers from their task at hand — driving safely.
Were you injured by a distracted teen driver?
Regardless of the age of the driver who hit you, if they were distracted, their negligence makes them liable for your injuries. Filing a claim for damages is the first step in the process to recover compensation.
