The “100 Deadliest Days” Of Summer: Safety Tips For Teen Drivers

Summer vacation is supposed to be the glorious season of sleeping in, surviving on popsicles, and pretending you don't hear your kids saying "I'm bored" for the 45th time before noon. But if you're the parent of a teenager or a brand-new driver, congratulations: summer just unlocked a whole new level of panic.

It’s called the “100 Deadliest Days of Driving.” And no, that isn’t just a dramatic title a tired mom made up to scare her kids into staying home. It’s a well-documented period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal crashes involving teen drivers increase.

Grab a giant iced coffee, take a deep breath, and have a look at what’s actually happening out there on the roads, including how parents can help teen drivers stay safe through the summer months.

The Summer Spike Is Real

When kids are in school, their driving patterns are pretty predictable. They go to school, they go to practice, they come home. But the second that final bell rings for summer? They have endless free time, empty roads, and a car full of friends looking for a distraction.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that nearly one-third of all fatal crashes involving a teen driver occur during these exact few summer months. Think about that: while school is out, an average of eight people every single day are killed in crashes involving a teen driver.

The main reasons aren't surprising, but they highlight the challenges that come with newer drivers being on the roads. First, there's pure inexperience; they just don't have the hours behind the wheel to handle split-second emergencies. Then you add heavy feet when a good song comes on, and the fact that many teens still skip buckling up when they're just "riding down the street" with a friend.

The Road Trip Hazards Everyone Faces

Even if your kids are still in car seats and you are nowhere near the teen driving phase, summer road trips bring a whole different set of highway monsters that every mom needs to watch out for.

Take distracted driving. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that about two-thirds of drivers admit to regularly getting distracted behind the wheel. Which means the person cruising next to your minivan is statistically very likely to be looking at a screen instead of the brake lights in front of them.

Then there’s the holiday factor. Everyone loves a good backyard barbecue, but the roads around July 4th become a legal minefield. A staggering 38% of all drivers killed in traffic crashes over the Fourth of July period are drunk.

And please don't assume "buzzed" driving is safe, either. In mom terms: it's the exact cognitive equivalent of trying to navigate a construction zone while your toddler screams, your oldest throws up, and a wasp flies into the car. Your reaction times are just slowed to a crawl.

How To Survive Until Fall (And Keep Your Sanity)

You can't wrap your kids in bubble wrap and ban them from going to the beach or the pool (though you've likely thought about it). But you can set some non-negotiable ground rules:

• Create a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement: Parents can establish clear expectations for safety on the road by laying out driving rules and limits, such as when the vehicle can be used, avoiding cell phone use, etc. The IIHS offers a Teen Driving Contract which provides a template to get you started.
• Talk to Your Insurer About Safe Driving Incentives: Many insurers offer ways to manage the cost of adding a new teen driver to your policy. This can include telematics and usage-based insurance programs which use technology to encourage safe driving habits and offer discounted premiums. Many insurers also offer discounts for students who maintain good grades or complete certified safe driving courses. Parents should contact their insurer about available programs, benefits and savings.
• Purchase Safe Vehicle for Teens: IIHS and Consumer Reports annually publish a list of recommended used and new vehicles for young drivers. Before purchasing a vehicle for teens, parents should first research the safety benefits and features.
• Watch your own habits. Your kids see everything you do. If they catch you texting at a red light, speeding up to catch a yellow, or driving home after "just a couple of seltzers" at the neighborhood block party, they’ll assume it’s fine for them, too.

NHTSA also suggests limiting teen passengers and avoiding distractions while behind the wheel. Additional tips are below:

• Ban the entourage. Brain science shows that a teen's risk of crashing multiplies with every single friend they add to the car. Keep summer driving restricted to solo trips or rides with siblings until they have a lot more miles under their belt.
• The phone lives in the glovebox. Make it a house rule that the phone gets locked away before the keys ever hit the ignition. No text, playlist change, or Snapchat is worth a life. Period.
• Enforce an early curfew. A massive chunk of fatal teen crashes happen late at night. Be real: nothing good happens on the roads after 10 PM in the summer anyway.

It is a scary world out there, mamas. But with a little extra vigilance, a lot of tough-love conversations, and some strict boundaries, you can navigate the deadliest days and get back to what summer is actually supposed to be about: complaining about how hot it is and hiding the good snacks from your children.

Stay safe out there!

BDG Media newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.