The 100 deadliest days for teen drivers have begun. Here's what drivers should know

NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES — With summer comes no school, which means more teenagers on the road. While it's an exciting time for many teen drivers, it's also a dangerous time – for them and for every other driver on the road.

“It’s the parents. They are teenagers. They are the caregivers. It's everyone on the road. Keep the 100 Deadliest Days in mind,” said Tiffany Wright, Carolina public affairs director for AAA – The Auto Club Group.

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer as well as a period known as the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers.

It's a time that many people often forget, but can have a huge impact.

“Historically, what we've seen with teen drivers is that starting on Memorial Day, they finish school, they're on the road, there's more freedom,” Chris Knox, the department's first sergeant public information from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Office, said. “So states across the country have found that fatal collisions tend to increase during this period.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2013 to 2022, nearly 6,700 people were killed between Memorial Day and Labor Day. In North Carolina, 272 people lost their lives during this period.

It's a number that the North Carolina State Highway Patrol says is only growing in the state.

“Last year, 183 teen drivers died in fatal crashes,” Knox said. “183 lives were lost at such an early age due to something we consider a preventable event, so the numbers are alarming.”

Wright said it's not just teenagers who suffer the consequences.

“Very often, it is not the teenager behind the wheel who is involved in the death. It ends up being a passenger, it ends up being the other motorist in the other vehicle,” she said. “So we're all kind of vulnerable during this time because there's just more of inexperienced drivers on the road.”

That's why AAA and NHTSA encourage parents and teens to develop a plan to stay safe.

“Sit down with your teen, talk to them about the dangers, talk to them about their vulnerability while driving,” Wright said.

And warn drivers so that they understand what consequences may occur.

“Law enforcement doesn’t want to be the bad guy in this situation,” Knox said. “We don't want to be the ones to pull you over and realize you have too many passengers or you have your phone in your hand, or maybe you're driving outside of your permitted hours. But we know it's an important element and enforcing it is part of the equation.

AAA said it's important for parents to participate in their teen's driver training, and they have several tips for parents to keep their children safe:

• Lead by example: minimize risky behaviors when driving, do not drive aggressively, avoid distractions and always wear your seat belt
• Complete at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice: Let your teen drive in a variety of conditions, including bad weather, busy highways, and at night
• Teaching Defensive Driving Skills: help your teenager anticipate potential risks by constantly scanning the road for dangers
• Establish a parent-teen conduct agreement: establishing family rules like when the teen can drive, where they can go, and with whom

If you know of a troubled road you'd like us to investigate, just email us at [email protected]. We will raise your concerns every Tuesday evening.