The 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are considered the most dangerous for teen drivers. In the past five years, during that time, nearly 3,500 people across the country were killed in crashes involving teen drivers.

New data analyzed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveals the three most common behaviors that contribute to the spike in teen crashes during the summer months: Speed, impaired driving and distracted driving.

• More than a quarter, or 28%, of teen crashes involved speeding.

• One in six, or 17%, of teen drivers tested positive for alcohol in fatal crashes.

• More than half, 60% of teen crashes involved distraction.

“As an advocate for safe roads, AAA wants parents and guardians to be concerned about scary, but true, teen driving statistics,” Michelle Donati, spokesperson for AAA Arizona said. “Through education, training and parental involvement, we can help young drivers become better and safer drivers. This in turn, can help make the roads safer for everyone.”
To keep roads safer this summer, AAA encourages parents and guardians to:

• Lead by example and minimize your own risky behavior when driving.

• Talk with teens about the dangers of risky driving situations, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.

• Make a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.

• Become familiar with resources like TeenDriving.AAA.com, which can help prepare families and teens for the summer driving season.

“Not only do teen drivers pose a risk to themselves, they’re also a risk for their passengers and others they share the road with,” Donati said. “We want parents and guardians to take this rite of passage seriously by setting and consistently enforcing rules for teen drivers this summer.”

In addition to TeenDriving.AAA.com, the AAA StartSmart program can help parents and guardians become more effective in-car coaches as well as advice on how to manage their teen’s overall driving privileges. Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization.

The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research is used to develop educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users. Visit AAAFoundation.org for more information.

AAA has served members for more than 100 years. Currently, 4,000 employees represent 6 million members across Northern California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. Learn more at AAA.com.