“100 Deadliest Days” Starts For Teen Drivers This Week

Did you know that the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are the deadliest days of the year for Texas teen drivers? Because teens are out of school and on the roads, may teens are focused on parties, events, and other summer activities instead of traffic safety and accident prevention. Sadly, traffic accidents are the number one reason for teen deaths between the ages of 15 and 19, and many of these accidents are preventable.

What can Texas parents and teens do to prevent car accident injuries and fatalities during the 100 Deadliest Days this summer?

• Teach your kids about driving distractions. Many car accidents are caused by texting while driving, cell phone use, or being distracted by other teens in the car. It is vital that your child understands that they need their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their brain focused on driving.
• Know that speed kills. Speeding and reckless driving are factors in 30 percent of all teen car accidents. Simply obeying the rules of the road could prevent a significant number of teen crash injuries and fatalities.
• Consider a driving curfew. A large number of fatal teen car accidents happen between midnight and five in the morning. Making sure your children are off the road during that time could help keep them safe.
• Be serious about drinking and driving. Drinking is illegal for all teens – and yet it is still a factor in a number of teen car accidents. Be sure that your kids understand the seriousness of drinking and driving, and that they should call you before ever getting in the car with a driver who has been driving.
• Always buckle your seat belt. Some teen accidents are simply caused by driver inexperience and others are caused by other drivers. One of the easiest ways to prevent teen driving deaths is to make certain that teens wear their seat belt while in a moving vehicle. It might not seem “cool,” but it saves lives.