100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers Start Now

As the school year winds down, so begins the 100 deadliest days of the year for teen drivers. The days surrounding prom and graduation see spikes in teenage driver deaths.

If you’re 18 years old, right now might be the most exciting time of the year. If you’re a parent, it might be one of the most nerve-wracking.

Prom and graduation season is supposed to be a joyous, memorable time. It’s a celebration of lives about to truly begin. Too often, however, this is when teenagers’ lives come to a sudden end.  Prom, graduation and the following summer months see a higher number of fatal teen auto accidents than any other time of the year. Teens drive more during the summer months after the school year has ended, and events like prom and graduation are often accompanied by underage drinking.

In 2013, the number of teens killed in traffic accidents during each of the summer months was 43% higher than the rest of the year. 

Drunk driving is a major cause of teen driving accidents, but just because your kid is 100% sober doesn’t mean he/she is safe. Some say that distracted driving can be even more dangerous than driving drunk. Texting, talking on the phone, or driving with multiple passengers can be just as risky as driving while intoxicated.

DC Metro Personal Injury Law Blog just posted a great blog about this topic – with some truly frightening numbers about prom night accidents, alcohol/drug use, and sexual assault. This post also gives parents some solid advice to help their child stay safe, such as:

• Know where your teen will be going, with whom, and at what time. “We’ll just be driving around” is not an acceptable response.
• Know how your child will be getting home.
• Make sure your teen leaves the house with a fully charged cell  phone, and establish mandatory check-in call times before they leave.
• Make sure your child knows he/she can call you for help if they find themselves in a dangerous situation.

And, it’s not just teen drivers who are at risk – a recent report from AAA indicates that the majority of people injured or killed in an accident involving a teenage driver are people other than the teen behind the wheel. So, even if you are neither a teen driver nor a parent, it’s important to be especially careful on the road during these 100 days.

If you or a loved one have been injured in a car accident, contact the car accident lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free evaluation of your case. Fill out our contact form, or call 855-866-5529.