The 100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers
Recently, safety experts across the country have revamped their efforts at reminding parents with teen drivers of the dangers posed by summertime driving. In fact, the surge in teen accidents is so significant during the summer months that the period of time between Memorial Day and Labor Day has been coined the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers. This trend is largely attributed to teen driver inexperience combined with more time spent on the road when out of school, all of which make the summer months a lot more dangerous for teen drivers.
Why is the Summertime More Dangerous for Teen Drivers?
During the spring, fall, and winter months, most teenagers spent the majority of the day in school and their nights engaging in sports or other recreational activities, leaving them a lot less time to drive outside of what is required to get them to and from these activities. When summer arrives, however, these same restrictions don’t apply, meaning that a lot more teens find themselves on the road. Besides driving more, teenage motorists are also more likely to drive with other passengers in the car during the summer, which can prove extremely dangerous. In fact, the presence of a single teen passenger increases the risk of a collision by more than 40 percent. Finally, a lack of experience, especially when taking unfamiliar routes or traveling to new designations, which is more common during the summer months, is thought to contribute to the spike in teen crashes during this period of time.
Reducing Teen Driving Risks
Some things, like driving experience, will only come with time spent behind the wheel, but there are steps that parents and guardians can take to help reduce their teen driver’s chances of causing a crash, including:
- Practicing driving skills on busy roads and highways;
- Limiting nighttime driving, when teen crash rates nearly double;
- Teaching teens to avoid distractions, like texting, talking on the phone, eating and drinking, and talking to passengers;
- Monitoring their teen’s driving habits; and
- Prohibiting teens from driving with other teen passengers.
Unfortunately, even the most careful of parents could end up with a teen involved in a car accident, which puts other road users at risk. If you were injured in an accident caused by a teen driver, please reach out to our legal team to learn more about your recovery options.
Call Our Atlanta Teen Driver Car Accident Attorneys for Help
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident caused by a teen driver, you need the advice of an experienced Atlanta teen driver car accident lawyer who is well-versed in the nuances of these kinds of cases. At Shiver Hamilton Campbell, we know how physically, emotionally, and financially taxing it can be to be involved in an accident for which you weren’t at fault and will dedicate ourselves to helping you get the compensation you deserve. Call us at 404-593-0020 or reach out to our legal team via online message to get started on your case today.
Sources:
flhsmv.gov/safety-center/driving-safety/safe-summer-travel/100-days-of-summer/
dds.georgia.gov/teen-driving-laws-faqs
