According to AAA, an average of seven people are killed, per day, in crashes related to teenage drivers between Memorial Day and Labor Day. As this stretch of summer approaches, the St. Louis car accident attorneys at Casey Devoti & Brockland strive to make parents like you aware of the 100 deadliest days for teens on the road — as well as the steps you should take to protect your child from dangerous driving.
Explaining the 100 Deadliest Days
Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens aged 15-20 in the U.S. Overall, teens crash at three times the rate of more experienced drivers. While the cause of each accident may vary, experts believe the following contribute to the 100 deadliest days:
- Summer driving tends to be more recreational. Rather than the standard commute to school or work, summer driving is often not as purposeful. For example, many teens use their time off of school driving to see friends.
- Teenage drivers could transport friends more frequently. Passengers increase the risk of a fatal crash involving a teen driver by at least 44 percent.
- Teens may stay out later at night. The risk of a crash is higher at night, due to dark conditions and drunk drivers.
- Warmer weather and clear conditions. With pleasant weather ahead, teens may be tempted into dangerous driving tactics such as speeding.
- More drivers are on the roads. Americans drove an estimated 870 billion miles between June, July and August in 2021, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Helping Teenage Drivers
Any St. Louis car accident attorney could tell you — the simplest way to help improve road safety is to have honest, realistic conversations with young drivers. Studies have shown that parental engagement improves the odds for young drivers over the next 100 days. Luckily, there are resources available to help parents navigate working together with their children.
Notably, the National Safety Council launched a program for teenage drivers called DriveitHOME. Concerned parents created this campaign for other parents — it features an interactive website with videos, information resources and infographics to help parents understand the increased dangerous driving risk for teens driving during the summer months. The site also features weekly pointers for parents, a parent/teen driving agreement and employer resources to help you spread the word on dangerous driving.
Our St. Louis car accident attorneys encourage parents to utilize the resources available on the DriveitHOME website and take the following steps to help them stay safe:
- Practice with them. Sit beside them while they drive, before and after they get their license to check on their progress.
- Set a good example. Drive the way you want them to. Teenage drivers in your family will mimic your good and bad behaviors.
- Sign a parent-teen agreement. An agreement against dangerous driving sets guidelines and expectations for you and your teen.
- Let teens earn their privileges. The act of earning a privilege helps teens understand the value of responsibility.
- Talk to other parents. Let others know your rules so they may enforce them even if you’re not around.
Fight Back Against Dangerous Driving
Casey Devoti & Brockland is a St. Louis-based law firm focused exclusively on personal injury litigation. Matt Casey, Matt Devoti and Anne Brockland use over 60 years of trial experience to help injured people navigate the road to recovery by securing compensation for pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages.
Much of our work has involved automotive accidents — from car and truck crashes to train collisions. We represent victims in cases involving dangerous driving and teenage drivers, providing the perfect balance of aggressive legal representation, compassion and personal service. Are you searching for a St. Louis car accident attorney? Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
