AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety says that’s when many are killed in vehicle crashes.
The summer months represent the “100 deadliest days” for teenagers, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. The organization says that’s when vehicle crashes involving young people increase.
AAA says 60% of these teen fatal crashes involve distracted driving. Spokeswoman Ragina Cooper Averella says many of these young people are talking and texting behind the wheel. “We’re also seeing more trends where they’re actually engaging in social media while driving,” say Averella. “We’ve all seen the horror stories and the videos of teens thinking it’s cute to Snapchat while they’re driving, or to do status updates on Facebook.”
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety says an average of 1,022 teens die in traffic crashes during the “100 deadliest days” of summer. The average number of deaths from crashes involving teen drivers, age 16-19, increased by 16% per day compared to other days during the year.
A report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has found there were 1,691 teenage fatalities in 2013. In the Mid-Atlantic region, NHTSA says there were 19 teen traffic deaths in Maryland during that time.
So why do teens do such risky behaviors while driving, Averella was asked. “They do it because they’re young, they’re immature, they’re to some degree probably arrogant and think they’re invincible,” she says. “But the reality is that, again, while this is the deadliest time of the year for teen drivers, unfortunately, we see those same behaviors with the adult population as well.”
She says parents need to continue to have conversations with their teenage children about distracted driving. “To make a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules against distracted driving. And certainly be a leader and lead by example and practice what they preach as far as what they do behind the wheel when they have their young teen driver with them,” says Averella.