Is Your Teen Ready for the Deadliest Driving Season?

As summer approaches, it’s a good time to check in with any teen drivers in your life. That’s because many of them will be out of school, with more time on their hands to hit the open road. Unfortunately, that freedom can have unintended consequences—including a seasonal spike in traffic incidents.

Traffic experts dub the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day the “100 Deadliest Days” because they consistently see an increase then in driving-related deaths among teens. Traffic crashes are a top cause of death among teens year-round, but they spike in the summer; according to an analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, fatal crashes involving teen drivers rise by 30% in those three months.

What Parents and Teens Need to Know

A variety of factors put teen drivers at greater risk during the summer months. Knowing what those factors are can help families help their kids reduce that danger.

Driver Inexperience

Driving is one of those things that takes practice: The more you do it, the better—meaning the safer—you are. Because teens are new to the driver’s seat, their risk of being in a collision is higher. In general, teens are less adept at recognizing potential risks on the road and have a higher likelihood of making the kinds of mistakes that can lead to a severe crash.

More Frequent Driving

William Van Tassel, manager of driver training programs at AAA, notes that teens’ driving environments can change during the 100 Deadliest Days. They’re no longer just shuttling to and from school or sports practice. They might now be going to the beach, meeting up with friends, or heading to the mall. They could also be driving more at night.

“The risk is going to go up for every minute they’re on the road,” says Van Tassel. “More minutes on the road means more risk. And we know that teens tend to crash more at night.”

Speeding

It’s not just how much a teen drives that increases the risks: It’s also how they drive. Van Tassel says that speed is a major issue. Studies have found that teens are more likely than older drivers to exceed the speed limit. About 35% of male drivers 15 to 20 years old who were involved in fatal collisions in 2020 were speeding at the time of the crash; for female teens, it was 18%.

Going over the speed limit isn’t the only issue. “Even the speed limit might be too fast for certain conditions, whether it’s driving on curves or on rainy roads,” says Van Tassel. Teens should be aware of how speed limits vary in different areas and exercise good judgment when conditions change. When it rains or after the sun sets, teens should learn to slow down.

Distracted Driving

Distractions also put teens at risk, especially when they use their phones. According to the NHTSA, among distracted drivers between the ages of 15 and 20 involved in fatal car crashes in 2023, 16% were using cellphones.

Encourage teen drivers to set their phones to Do Not Disturb mode whenever they drive. Parents can also help by not texting or calling when they know their kids are driving.

How to Prepare for the 100 Deadliest Days

While the teen driver is ultimately in control, parents can take an active role in preparing them to stay safe.

Talk with your teen.

Before Memorial Day, sit down as a family to go over the additional risks that come with driving during the summer. Acknow­ledge the ways their driving might change and reinforce best practices:

• Always wear a seatbelt.
• Don’t talk on the phone or text while driving.
• Drive the appropriate speed based on existing limits and conditions.
• Don’t eat or multitask while driving.
• Don’t drive under the influence of any substances.
• Don’t get in the car as a passenger with a driver who is under the influence.
• Follow state laws about driving other teens as passengers.

Put it in writing.

You can codify that talk in a parent-teen driving agreement. Driving is an earned privilege, not a given right. That agreement can be based on all of the points above and any others that make you feel better as a parent.

Go for a drive.

If you want to take it a step further, Van Tassel suggests that parents go on a drive with their teen on Memorial Day weekend. For teens, it reminds them to stay focused on the task at hand and that driving entails responsibility. For parents, it’s a way to check in on their teen’s driving and to set expectations.

Review the vehicle’s safety features.

Go over the safety features built into the vehicle that the teen will be driving. Many newer cars come with driver assistance systems that can help prevent collisions. These can include blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warnings, and lane-keeping assistance.

Van Tassel notes that many teens get hand-me-down vehicles that may be older or less advanced and have fewer safety technologies. While that’s often the most economical route, parents should consider the potential benefits of a newer vehicle with more robust features to help keep their teens safe.

Share your experiences.

You’ve been driving for a lot longer than your teen and can impart your hard-earned experience to them.

“Our research has shown us that it’s really valuable for parents to share their wisdom and driving experiences with their teens,” says Van Tassel.

This can be an opportunity to share stories about how you navigated your early driving days and how you learned to be a safe driver. If appropriate, you might share some of the mistakes you made, to reinforce that you don’t want them to make the same ones and to let them know what you learned.