100 Deadliest Days Of The Year Begin For MD Teen Drivers: AAA

MARYLAND — Memorial Day kicks off summer fun, but it also starts the 100 deadliest days of the year for teenage drivers in Maryland and other states, AAA Mid-Atlantic said.

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is a season of increased risks on the roads. More than 7,300 people died nationwide in crashes involving inexperienced teen drivers from 2012 to 2021 during the 100 Deadliest Days, AAA said in a news release. That’s nearly half of the number of those killed in teen-driver crashes for the entire remaining months out of the year.

In Maryland, 96 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 18 during the 100 Deadliest Days from 2012 to 2021, representing 40 percent of all vehicle crash fatalities during that 10-year period.

“There are more daily deaths from crashes involving teen drivers during the summer months than the rest of the year, because teens tend to have more unstructured time behind the wheel, as they commute to summer jobs, enjoy summertime activities and spend time with friends,” said Ragina Cooper Ali, AAA’s public and government affairs manager in Maryland and Washington, D.C. “Unfortunately, as more teens take to the road over the summer, the results can be deadly. AAA recommends that parents take time now to both model safe driving behaviors and help ensure their teens practice them as well.”

Teen drivers should stay focused when driving, buckle up for every ride and obey the speed limit, the agency said. Parents should also talk to their teens specifically about the dangers of impaired driving.

In 2021 alone, 900 people were killed in teen-driver crashes, up from 851 the previous year ― a nearly 6 percent increase. The number killed in 2021 also represents a more than 25 percent increase over pre-pandemic fatalities in 2019. Often, the victims are passengers, pedestrians or occupants of other vehicles, making the roadways more dangerous for all.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

• 36 percent of all vehicle fatalities involving teen drivers occurred between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
• Data show a 22 percent increase in the average number of nighttime crashes per day involving teen drivers during the 100 Deadliest Days compared to the rest of the year
• 29 percent of all motor vehicle deaths involving a teen driver were speed-related

According to the AAA Foundation 2021 Traffic Safety Culture Index, teen drivers ages 16-18 admitted to having engaged in at least one of the following risky behaviors in the past 30 days:

• Driving 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential street (39%)
• Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway (34%)
• Texting (28%)
• Red-light running (27%)
• Aggressive driving (25%)
• Drowsy driving (16%)
• Driving without a seatbelt (12%)
• Drinking enough alcohol to be over the adult legal limit (4%)
• Riding in a car driven by someone who has had too much alcohol (8%)
• Driving within an hour of having used marijuana (6%)

In addition to modeling safe driving behaviors and talking to their teens about factors that can contribute to the risk of a crash, AAA suggests parents have their teens complete a driver education course to learn the rules of the road.

“While they sometimes may not think so, parents remain the best line of defense to keep everyone safe behind the wheel,” said Ali. “It’s never too soon for parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of distracted driving, speeding, and alcohol and marijuana impairment. But they also need to model good driving behavior themselves.”

To keep roads safer this summer, AAA encourages parents to:

• Talk with teens early and often about abstaining from dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.
• Teach by example and eliminate their own risky behavior when driving.
• Establish a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.
• Conduct at least 60 hours of supervised practice driving with their teen, including 10 hours of night driving.

To support parents in conducting practice driving sessions, AAA provides a free four-page guide to help parents coach their teens on how to drive safely, “Coaching Your New Driver – An In-Car Guide for Parents.” The guide offers a driving log as well as behind-the-wheel lesson plans.

Reminders for all drivers:

This time of year is the deadliest not just for teens, but for everyone on the roadways, including pedestrians, motorcyclists and bicyclists.

According to preliminary data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 11,395 deaths on U.S. roadways in June, July and August of last year. More than half of those killed were someone other than the driver, including nearly 1,600 pedestrians and almost 2,200 motorcyclists.

“Teen drivers spend more time behind the wheel in summer months and they certainly have less experience than those who have been driving for years,” Ali added. “But, tragedy can impact drivers of any age when good driving behaviors fall by the wayside.”