3 days ago
AAA warns of teen driving dangers as ‘100 Deadliest Days' begin
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — AAA is warning drivers and parents as the '100 Deadliest Days' for teen drivers begin.
Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, deadly crashes involving teen drivers increase by 30%, according to federal crash data. On average, eight people die each day in crashes involving a teen driver during this period.
AAA cites inexperience and risky behavior as leading causes. Teens ages 16 to 17 are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a deadly crash compared to adults.
Key risk factors include distraction — especially from teen passengers — speeding, and failure to wear seat belts. Nearly 60% of teen crashes involve some form of distraction, according to AAA.
AAA urges parents to model safe driving, supervise at least 50 hours of practice and create clear rules with a parent-teen driving agreement. Educational tools and training programs are available at
AAA's 'Crashes Hit Different' campaign highlights how the same risky behaviors affecting teen drivers — distraction, speed, impaired driving, and lack of seat belt use — are leading causes of road deaths for all drivers.
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