100 Deadliest Days: How to keep you and your teenager safe

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Dangerous days are ahead for teen drivers as the weather warms up and more people hit the roads. Between Memorial and Labor day traffic increases and risky driving behavior becomes more common among teens.

According to the National Road Safety Foundation, car crashes are the leading cause of death for American teens. During the “100 Deadliest Days,” teens are 20% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than during the rest of the year.

According to Matthew Conde, director of government and public affairs for AAA Oregon/Idaho, summer driving conditions create additional dangers for inexperienced teen drivers.

“We know there’s a new group of teens every year learning the ropes,” Conde said. “That youthful inexperience tends to play a role in crashes. They don’t always have the judgment and decision-making skills that come with experience, which helps many of us intuitively recognize dangerous situations.”

Several factors contribute to the increase in fatalities during this time period, including:

• Summer break putting more teenagers behind the wheel
• Inexperience. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, teen drivers have crash rates nearly four times higher than drivers 20 and older per mile driven
• Distracted driving
• Speeding
• Drunk driving

Parents and guardians can help make these 100 days safer by encouraging smart driving habits early. Experts recommend reminding teens to never drink and drive, stay off their phones behind the wheel, always wear a seat belt and follow speed limits. Modeling safe driving behavior can also make a major difference.