NEWS RELEASE
MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has dubbed the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day as the 100 most dangerous days for teen drivers.
Overall, the crash rate for teen drivers is four times that of adult drivers. And more teen driving fatalities occur in the summer than at any other time of the year. With more freedom, teens drive and gather more often. They're also more likely to engage in high-risk activities like speeding or underage drinking and drug use.
“Summer is historically a dangerous time for teen drivers,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman for AAA. “Now that school is out, teens will spend more time on the road, often driving with friends at odd hours of the day and night. Because of their inexperience, teens are more susceptible to dangerous driving behaviors, like speeding, driving distracted and not wearing a safety belt. AAA urges parents to model safe driving behavior and reinforce safe driving habits with their teen drivers to help keep them safe this summer.”
In 2016, speeding was a factor in nearly one out of three fatal crashes involving teen drivers.
One in three teens who text say they have done so while driving, which increases crash risk by 23 times. Teens have the lowest rate of safety belt use of any age group; 58 percent of teen crash fatalities in 2016 were not buckled up.
We want all Michigan teens to have a safe summer. So take the time to study these numbers. For more information, visit Teen Safe Driving Campaign.
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