AAA: 40% of Idaho crash deaths involve teen drivers occur during “100 Deadliest Days”
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – It’s the “100 Deadliest Days,” the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers spikes each year.
According to AAA, 7,124 people died in teen-driver related crashes nationwide from 2011 to 2020. Nearly half of the total number of deaths occurred during the summertime, and in 2020 alone, 850 people were killed in these types of crashes – a 20% increase from the previous year.
“The 100 Deadliest Days are bad news in Idaho, too. 40% of those who lose their lives in teen-driver crashes do so during the summer driving season,” AAA Idaho spokesman Matthew Conde said. “It’s time to get back to basics – please slow down, stay focused and buckle up.”
Here’s a comparison of the number of people killed in teen-driver related crashes in Idaho during the 100 Deadliest Days with the rest of the year:
| YEAR | 100 DEADLIEST | REST OF YEAR | TOTAL |
| 2020 | 11 | 15 | 26 |
| 2019 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| 2018 | 15 | 8 | 23 |
| 2017 | 7 | 16 | 23 |
| 2016 | 8 | 10 | 18 |
| 2015 | 8 | 15 | 23 |
| 2014 | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| 2013 | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| 2012 | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| 2011 | 7 | 19 | 26 |
In 2020, the Gem State ranked 6th in the nation for most deaths in teen driver crashes per 1 million population (at 14.1), trailing Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Arkansas and South Carolina.
“Parents need to make sure that their teen drivers get quality instruction and plenty of experience behind the wheel, but they also need to set a good example,” Conde said. “A ‘do as I say, not as I do’ approach teaches your child that becoming a seasoned driver offers the privilege of engaging in risky behavior. That belief can have tragic consequences.”
Local Law enforcement officials know the facts and are determined to stop these dangerous accidents from occurring in the first place.
"Off and on throughout the summer, we partner with the Office of Highway Safety and there's, you know, multiple law enforcement agencies across the state that that do the same thing," Bonneville County Sheriff Public Information Officer Bryan Lovell said. "They have grant monies available to agencies where they can put extra deputies and extra patrols out to look for aggressive driving, intoxicated driving."
