AAA Mid Atlantic is warning drivers about the dangers of summer driving - the so-called 100 Deadliest Days on the road.
The 100 Deadliest Days is usually limited to teen drivers as fatal crashes involving teens typically double during this time of year, but AAA Mid Atlantic says all drivers should be concerned behind the wheel this summer.
AAA Mid Atlantic’s Jana Tidwell explains why that’s the case.
"Now we are looking at a sharp increase in roadway fatalities across the board putting everybody at greater risk of crash and fatalities during those summer months,” said Tidwell. “We call it the 100 Deadliest Days because it's roughly those hundred days between Memorial Day and Labor Day."
Last year, there were 139 fatalities on Delaware roads, the highest in 16 years, and those numbers included 30 pedestrians, 24 motorcyclists, and two bicyclists.
Through June 1 this year, there have been 61 fatalities, a sharp increase over the 45 during the same period last year according to Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety.
Tidwell says there are a few factors for that increase.
"We're looking at a variety of factors speeding is up, seatbelt usage is down, driver impairment, and other factors behind the wheel like distractions," said Tidwell.
AAA advises everyone to slow down, buckle up, don’t drive impaired, drive defensively, limit distractions, and look out for pedestrians and bicyclists. They also suggest parents talk to teen drivers and model best driving behavior.
