Page 13 - Explore Your AAA – AAA Southern Pennsylvania – Summer 2022

EXPLORE | SAFETY & SECURITY SUMMER EDITION 2022
Teen Crashes Increase in Summer Months
Nationwide, more than 7,000 people died in teen driving- related summertime crashes from 2010 to 2019. That’s more than seven people per day during these 100 Deadliest Days – the period from Memorial Day to Labor Day – compared
to the rest of the year (six people per day). According to previous research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, new teen drivers, ages 16-17, are three times as likely as adults to be involved in a deadly crash.
And now, as teens take to the road this summer, AAA recommends that parents model safe driving behaviors and help ensure their teens practice them too. With pandemic restrictions easing, it’s also a good time for parents to consider having their teens complete a comprehensive driver-education course as well as focus on the dangers
of these factors that commonly result in deadly crashes for teen drivers:
Speeding: Discuss the importance of adhering to posted speed limits and knowing when to slow down for bad road or weather conditions. In a five-year study from 2016, AAA discovered that speeding was a factor in more than one-third of all fatal crashes that involve teen drivers. A majority of speed-related crashes happen during inclement weather and on other problematic road conditions, like traffic stops or winding roads, so be sure to train your teen driver on how
to manage their speed during specific scenarios.
Distractions: AAA studies found that interacting with passengers and cell phones were the most frequent distractions for teen drivers. Research shows that the probability of crashing increases by four times when talking on the phone while texting and driving increases the risk by more than 20 times. Talking or texting on the phone while behind the wheel significantly reduces your teen’s ability
to react to a roadway hazard or inclement weather.
Impaired Driving: Impaired driving should never be an option. Consuming alcohol or other drugs in any amount makes them unfit to drive and can result in a DUI or worse. While it can be harder to recognize, driving while drowsy also is considered an impairment and increases crash risk. Impaired driving affects judgment, reaction times and awareness, which makes it especially dangerous for teen drivers whose inexperience already places them more than four times the crash rate as adults.
Drowsy Driving: Teens have a hard time getting enough sleep and often struggle with drowsiness. Drowsy driving is as dangerous as drunk driving and teens have the highest risk. Ensure everyone who is behind the wheel has gotten enough sleep.
Extra passengers: Research has shown that the risk of a fatal crash increases in direct relation to the number of teenagers in the car. According to an NHTSA study, teen drivers are two-and-a-half times more likely to engage in one or more potentially risky behaviors when driving with just one teenage passenger, compared to when driving alone. This same study revealed that teen drivers were three times more like to engage in one or more risky behaviors when traveling with multiple passengers compared to when driving alone.
Not wearing a seat belt: Wearing a seat belt greatly reduces the risk of being hurt or killed in a crash. Make a rule: everyone buckles up for every trip.
Driving at Night: Night driving is more dangerous because of limited visibility, fatigue and impaired drivers on the road. This is especially a risky time for teens. Limit the time your novice driver spends behind the wheel at night.
Prepare with practice. Plan to log at least 100 hours of driving practice with your teen before letting them drive solo. Expose them to different situations while driving together – night and day, freeways and gravel roads, sunny days and wet weather – to increase their experience.
Set a good example. Show your teen that you take driving as seriously as you expect them to. Avoid speeding and distractions. Always wear your seat belt. Obey traffic laws. Never drive impaired.
For more information about Teen Driver Safety, go to Exchange.AAA.com.
13
Sergey Novikov | Shutterstock