The 4th of July holiday weekend is often one of the deadliest stretches of the summer for teen drivers. And with more than 61 million people expected to travel by car over the holiday period, we urge families to make time to have quick and direct conversations about seat belts, distracted driving, and impaired driving before teens hit the road for holiday driving.🧨
Federal data estimates show that about 2,100 teens die each year in automobile crashes. In the summertime when more young drivers are on the roads going to vacations, parties, and late-night outings, an average of about 9 teens die each day.
Impairment is often a factor in these crashes. 2024 July Fourth data cites impairment as a factor in 38% of fatalities - higher than the roughly 30% average across the year. Smartphones and in-car notifications are often the cause and the risk is compounded by excessive speed and inexperienced driving.
Parents can make a difference by setting clear expectations before handing over the car keys - a simple 5-10-minute conversation to go over teh rules of safe driving can save lives. Talk openly and remind your teen to keep their eyes on the road and their phones out of reach when driving to avoid temptation. Stress seat belt use, which has been shown to reduce fatalities by 45% among front-seat occupants and cut risk of severe injury in half.
Let's keep our kids and our roads safe! To read more about safety tips for parents and teens, visit: https://www.100safestdaysofsummer.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment