If you’re the parent or legal guardian of a teenager, you are well aware of the constant worry that comes with the territory. Are things going well at school? Do they always come to you whenever they face any difficulties? Are they staying away from drugs and alcohol? All these worries increase once they start driving. Once that happens, in addition to the regular concerns, you have to worry about other drivers on the road and whether they are being responsible. With this in mind, you may be wondering about the phrase 100 deadliest days of summer. What does it mean? And, how can you keep your teenager safe?
Car Accidents Involving Teenagers
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. Official CDC statistics indicate that the groups at higher risk are teens between 16 and 19 years of age — and within that demographic, the likelihood of accidents increases if the driver is male, newly licensed, or driving with other teenagers as passengers. To add insult to injury, modern technology has created a dependency on smartphones. You’d likely be hard-pressed to find a teen who’s ok with ignoring notifications as soon as they come in.
When you take all of these factors into account, it becomes clear why teenagers are 10 times more likely to get into a fatal car accident than any other age group. As if that weren’t tragic enough, teenagers are also less likely to wear seat belts — meaning that a significant portion of these deaths are preventable.
What are the 100 deadliest days of summer?
While car accidents involving teenagers happen year-round, the days between Memorial Day (in May) and Labor Day (in September) are popularly known as the 100 deadliest days of summer. This is because, once teens are out of school for their summer break, they tend to spend extra time on the road — whether because they have extra idle time, or driving to and from work, summer camp, or other social events. Between 2008 and 2018, more than 8,300 teenagers died in car crashes during their summer breaks.
What can you do to keep your teenage driver safe?
While you can’t control what other drivers do while on the road, there are several things your teenager can do to stay as safe as possible. These include:
- Setting their phone settings to do not disturb while driving
- Wearing seatbelts
- Driving within the speed limit
- Avoiding distracted driving
- Calling an Uber or Lyft if they’ve been drinking
Civil Litigation Attorneys in Texas
If you were injured in an auto accident and want to know how to move forward, the experienced attorneys at The Weycer Law Firm can help.
Discuss your case for FREE today by contacting us online or by calling (713) 668-4545.
This blog is for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney/client relationship.