ALLENTOWN, Pa. — We are now in the "100 Deadliest Days” on the road, according to AAA.
The traffic safety non-profit says teen driving fatalities increase between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and it's warning parents of teen drivers about what it calls the "100 deadliest days of summer on the road."
"More than 7,000 people died in teen-related driving crashes between 2011 and 2020," said Theresa Podguski, director of legislative affairs for AAA East Central, which covers the Lehigh Valley.
"So that's more than seven people per day during these 100 deadliest days.”
"Data show a 22% increase in the average number of nighttime crashes per day involving teen drivers during the '100 deadliest days'."Theresa Podguski, Director of Legislative Affairs, AAA East Central
Podguski said her team is asking parents to remind their teen drivers how dangerous driving can be.
"Data show a 22 percent increase in the average number of nighttime crashes per day involving teen drivers during the '100 deadliest days,' compared to the rest of the year," she said.
"And 30 percent of all motor vehicle crashes involving a teen driver were speed related.”
Restrictions can be used
The numbers show that motor vehicle fatalities involving teen drivers increased 36% between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Podguski recommended families make a driving plan that sets limits on driving time for inexperienced drivers.
"Parents can be stricter than what the law allows. So when we see those teen fatalities rise between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., maybe the parent wants to put a little bit additional restrictions on those teens."Theresa Podguski, Director of Legislative Affairs, AAA East Central
"Parents can be stricter than what the law allows,” she said.
“So when we see those teen fatalities rise between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., maybe the parent wants to put a little bit additional restrictions on those teens."
Podguski also said it’s important for parents to model good driving behavior, avoid driving distracted and wear a seatbelt.
Summer is a time many families send their teens to driving school, according to AAA. The AAA Exchange website has a section for teen driver safetywhere a lot of additional information is available.
Many of the statistics shared by AAA are from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
