The 100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers Have Begun

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) – From Memorial Day to Labor Day, law enforcement is calling this the “Deadliest 100 Days.”

During this time, students are out of school and looking for something to do, so many of them travel from county to county and go to different states.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half of all teen driving deaths occur during this period.

From 2013 to 2022, nearly 6,700 people died in these accidents, including 707 in 2022, an increase of 10% compared to 2019. On average, 2,146 adolescents are involved in fatal accidents each year, and 670 ( 31%) of them occur during the deadliest 100 days.

Local driving instructors do their best to help these numbers decrease year by year.

“So when they start driving, we always take them somewhere pretty neutral. Where there will not be very complex intersections or many vehicles. As they drive more and become a little more confident, we try to get them on the highway, but Grand Central is still a big task for them because it's very complex,” said Sharon Marks, instructor of driving school.

With inexperienced drivers, Marks stresses the importance of having a plan before hitting the road to your destination.

“We always try to explain to them that we have a plan. If I'm in Columbus, which I know pretty well, but if I'm in an area I don't really know, I'm prepared, if I get lost I'll make a route and have a coffee to find out where I'm going. follow and get back on the road. Always have a plan and don’t say I have to be there in 10 minutes,” she said.

Marks suggests taking a driver's education course to gain additional driving experience.

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