The “100 Deadliest Days” for Teen Drivers
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers occurs between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Over the past five years, nearly 3,500 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers during these 100 days. Studies show that teen drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, whether they are victims or negligent drivers. The AAA Foundation found that nearly two-thirds of people injured in accidents with teen drivers were people other than the teen behind the wheel.
Analyzing crash data from 2013-2017, the AAA Foundation discovered the most common contributing factors to teen accidents. These factors involve reckless behavior that contributes to the alarming amount of teen-involved accidents. The most prevalent factors include:
Speeding
Teen drivers tend to take serious risks when they drive, often believing they are invincible. The most common cause of teen-involved accidents is speeding. Almost a third of teen-involved accidents had speeding as a contributing factor. Accidents at high speeds are extremely dangerous and can be deadly. Speeding is a growing problem among teen drivers. According to a AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index, almost half of teens surveyed reported speeding.
Drinking and Driving
Alcohol was involved in 17% of teen driver accidents. Despite the fact that it is illegal for teens to consume alcohol, many continue to do so. One in six teen drivers involved in fatal summer accidents tested positive for alcohol.
Distracted Driving
The AAA Foundation reports that 9% of teen driver accidents involved some type of distraction. It is believed that distraction is underreported and the percentage of accidents caused by distracted driving is much higher. Of the teens surveyed for the Traffic Safety Culture Index, more than half confessed to reading text messages while driving, and 40% reported sending a text or email. Teens are also easily distracted by the presence of other teens in the vehicle.
Contact a Tampa Bay Car Accident Attorney
If you were involved in an accident with a teen driver this summer, you might want to have an experienced car wreck attorney in Florida evaluate your case. The attorneys at Abrahamson & Uiterwyk have been helping the victims of car accidents in Tampa Bay for over 30 years. Contact us online or call us at 800-538-4878 to set up your free consultation today.