When Are The 100 Deadliest Days Of Summer?

Here it is – summertime has rolled in with the heat. Even though this should be a time of fun for individuals and families, the reality is that the summer is also when the railways become dangerous. This is particularly true for teenage drivers. Here, our Portland car accident lawyers want to discuss what safety agencies have dubbed the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” and give you some tips about how to keep yourself and your teenagers safe.

Why is Summer More Dangerous?

The 100 deadliest days for teenage drivers, according to the US Department of Transportation, is the time frame ranging from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Across the country, from the year 2010 to 2019, more than 7,000 individuals lost their lives in teenage-related crashes during this summer time frame.

The summertime is inherently more dangerous when it comes to teenage drivers. First and foremost, teenagers simply lack the same type of driving experience that drivers and other age ranges have. Teenage drivers are inexperienced behind the wheel, and they have not had time to fully learn the driving skills necessary to remain safe.

Additionally, teenagers are much more likely to engage in riskier behaviors behind the wheel. This includes, but is not limited to, driving while distracted by a phone or other friends in the car, driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, speeding, failing to follow basic traffic laws, tailgating, racing, and more.

When we combine the fact that teenagers are less experienced and that they are more likely to engage in risky behavior with the fact that there will be more driving during the summer months, this is a recipe for disaster. Instead of simply going to and from school or their job, teenagers often travel longer distances, sometimes hundreds of miles away from home, to go on vacation.

What Can Parents do to Increase Safety on the Roadways?

There are various steps that parents and guardians can take to help increase their child’s safety on the roadway.

1. Talk to your child. Parents need to talk to their teen drivers when the summer months approach. Safety must be reinforced. There is no problem showing your child statistics about the increase in dangers they will face during the summer. Remind your team about the dangers of distracted driving and impaired driving.
2. Consider various devices. There are various apps and devices that parents or guardians can use to keep track of their child’s driving behavior. This can include devices to plug into the vehicle and monitor speed or apps that go onto a phone that keep the phone locked or in “do not disturb” mode while the vehicle is in motion.
3. Set strict consequences. Teenagers must have consequences. If you have set up a rule regarding your teens driving, and if they break the rule, you need to consider suspending your teenage driver’s privileges or limiting the amount of time they can operate during the day. Even though this may lead to an argument, we would much rather you keep your child alive than give in and allow them to operate recklessly.
4. “Show” them how to drive. When you get behind the wheel of your vehicle with your teenager in the car, you need to demonstrate good driving behaviors. Stay off the phone, keep your hands on the wheel, and drive the speed limit.