Keeping Teens Alive Heading into 100 Deadliest Days

Deaths of teens due to car accidents is a sobering statistic around the United States, and Memorial Day marks the start of the 100 deadliest days behind the wheel for teenagers. The highest rate of deaths to teens due to motor vehicle crashes occurs during the 100-day period that kicks off with Memorial Day Weekend.

Hum by Verizon is a product to help teens be safer behind the wheel and give parents some peace of mind.

Hum is a connected car product that includes a device that plugs into a port beneath your steering wheel (every car has one, but most people have no idea where their OBD port is), a visor clip that enables one-touch road-side assistance and calling, and a smartphone app.

The statistics are very sobering. Teens have the highest crash rate of any age group. Here some compelling stats:

• According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), 2,263 teens ages 13-19 died in car crashes in 2014, an average of more than seven per day: http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/teenagers/fatalityfacts/teenagers

• Teen drivers are three times more likely than drivers over age 20 to be involved in a fatal crash.

• While motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death among U.S. teenagers, the impact of teen driving crashes goes well beyond their own safety.

• In fact, 40 percent of those killed in crashes involving teen drivers are people in other vehicles.

Hum is an effective, inexpensive solution to ease parents’ stress this summer while their teens are on the road. The product provides teen drivers access to vital safety features that are typically not found in older cars -- the ones teens usually drive! With recently upgraded features that include real-time monitoring of vehicle location, speed and activity, Hum adds a layer of comfort, security and independence for teen drivers and more importantly, their parents and loved ones. The product makes parents feel like they’re in the passenger seat, even if they’re miles away.