AAA: ‘100 Deadliest Days’ for teen drivers begins

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The period from Memorial Day to Labor Day is what AAA calls the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers.

More than 30 percent of deaths involving teen drivers occur during the 100 Deadliest Days nationwide, according to AAA.

AAA said teens spend more time on the road once school is out and often drive with friends at odd hours of the day and night. They are more susceptible to dangerous driving behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, and not wearing a seat belt because of inexperience.

AAA urges parents to model safe driving behavior and reinforce safe driving habits with their teen drivers to help keep them safe this summer.

On average, 64 teen drivers are involved in fatal crashes yearly in Michigan—23 of those deaths occur during the 100 Deadliest Days. AAA said these crashes result in an average of 69 deaths annually—25 of those fatalities occur during the 100 Deadliest Days.

2,108 teen drivers, on average, are involved in fatal crashes each year nationwide—660 of those deaths occur during the 100 Deadliest Days. These crashes result in an average of 2,341 deaths annually—732 of those fatalities occur during the 100 Deadliest Days.

Common risk factors for teen drivers include:

• Distracted driving
• Driving with teen passengers
• Speeding
• Not wearing a seat belt

AAA advises parents to do the following with their teens:

• Lead by example: AAA said to minimize risky driving behavior—don’t drive aggressively, avoid distractions and wear a seatbelt.
• Conduct at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving: AAA said this would help teens become more confident drivers in imperfect situations.
• Teach defensive driving skills: Parents can help teens anticipate potential risks by constantly scanning the road for hazards, then sharing advice on how to avoid them safely.
• Establish a parent-teen driving agreement: Parents can set family rules when the teen can drive, where they can go and with who—then outline the consequences for breaking the rules and rewards for driving safely.

Read next:

• Michigan’s bottle and can returns plummet, state slides to #2 in recycling rankings
• Traffic alert: Northbound Washington Avenue to close for several months
• Lansing School District to receive $1M grant to recruit teachers, staff

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning.

Copyright 2023 WILX. All rights reserved.