COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Michigan State Police (MSP) are urging parents and teen motorists to exercise extreme caution on the roads following the official start of the “100 Deadliest Days” for teenage drivers.
This high-risk period, spanning from Memorial Day through Labor Day, historically sees a dangerous spike in youth traffic fatalities.
Data from AAA reveals that more than 30% of all teen driver-related deaths occur during these summer months, averaging about eight fatalities per day nationwide. With schools closed for the season, a massive influx of inexperienced drivers are taking to the roads, Johathon Eshani with the John Hopkins School of Public Health says teens tend to do more driving in the summer months.
Law enforcement officials emphasize that passenger distractions, speeding, and a lack of seat belt compliance are the primary catalysts for these summer crashes.
Lieutenant Kim Vetter of the Michigan State Police warned that a teen’s risk of a fatal accident increases by 44% with just one passenger under the age of 21, doubles with two, and quadruples when three or more young passengers are in the vehicle.
To mitigate these statistics, the MSP is calling on parents to establish strict household driving agreements, actively supervise their children’s time behind the wheel, and reinforce the importance of keeping cell phones put away.
Doing a little math analysis indicates that 30% of the year (365 days) is 109 days, just over the 100 days they are indicating 30% of teen traffic deaths occur. Not saying that we should be more aware driving during this period, or at any time on the road. But their statistics don’t really make this period any more deadly than the rest of the year. Drive safe, and stay off the phone.