100 Deadliest Days: Memorial Day to Labor Day Especially Dangerous for Teen Drivers
An average of seven people are killed each day during the summer in the United States in crashes involving a teen driver. \n
May 22, 2024 | Community
VOORHEES, N.J. – The unofficial start of summer is finally here. The weather is heating up and schools are letting out. While this is an exciting time of year, it is also a dangerous time on the roads – especially for teen drivers.
AAA’s annual 100 Deadliest Days campaign marks the period of Memorial Day through Labor Day, which statistics show can be a deadly period for teen drivers.
The latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – from 2013 to 2022 – shows that nationwide, 6,697 people were killed in teen driver-related crashes during the summertime. That is nearly half of the total number of those killed in teen-driver crashes for the entire rest of the year. And in 2022 alone, 707 people were killed in these types of crashes - a 10% increase over pre-pandemic 2019.
An average of seven people are killed each day during the summer in the United States in crashes involving a teen driver.
In New Jersey, 283 people were killed from 2013-2022 in crashes involving teen drivers. Twenty-nine percent of these fatal crashes occurred during the 100 Deadliest Days. That’s an average of eight deaths per year in New Jersey during the 100 Deadliest Days.
In 2022 in the Garden State, 20 people were killed in teen driver-related crashes. When broken down per capita, New Jersey actually had the third-fewest deaths per 1 million population in the United States, behind only the District of Columbia and Hawaii.
However, one death is too many. These crashes are preventable.
That’s why AAA South Jersey, in partnership with the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety and New Jersey State Police, want to remind all drivers to remain vigilant on the road this summer.
This isn’t just a teen problem. Parents play a big role in teen driver safety, whether they realize it or not. Children, even from a young age, are learning from their parents’ driving habits. It is crucial we exhibit good driving behavior at all times. AAA reminds parents and teens to:
- Always buckle up
- Refrain from driving impaired
- Put your phone away and focus on the task of driving
- Follow posted speed limits
These common sense habits can be the difference between life and death in a crash, according to Mike Rizol, director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
"Enforcing the seatbelt laws is a priority in New Jersey. In 2022, the police in New Jersey issued over 53,000 seatbelt summonses. Despite that, 50% of the vehicle occupants killed in traffic crashes last year were not buckled up. Though seatbelt usage did not play a part in all of those fatalities, in many it did. New Jersey's seatbelt usage rate currently stands at nearly 93%. This is above the national average, but it is not high enough. Our goal is 100%”
AAA research shows, per miles driven, teen drivers are nearly three times more likely than drivers aged 20 and older to be killed in a crash.
Teen drivers’ risk of a crash multiplies when they have other teens in the passenger seat, research shows. Many may think of cellphone use when they hear the term distracted driving, but passengers can be an equally large distraction.
As temperatures increase in New Jersey, so does the volume on our roadways. With the added traffic, particularly around the city and down the shore, it is paramount for South Jersey drivers of all ages to be aware of the dangers and follow these tips.