It’s the most dangerous time of year for teens on the road.
The 100 Deadliest Days, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, is the most dangerous time of year for teen drivers.
According to crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 13,135 people have been killed in a crash involving a teen driver between 2019 and 2023.
Over 30% of those deaths occurred during the 100 deadliest days.
AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Jana Tidwell says in Delaware the numbers are slightly higher percentage wise.
"Looking at a five-year period between 2019 and 2023 between Memorial Day and Labor Day we saw 21 deaths due to crashes involving a teen driver. During the rest of that year, we saw 42 fatalities," said Tidwell.
According to AAA, bad driving behaviors are increasing among teen drivers, including texting, speeding, not wearing seat belts, running red lights and impaired driving.
Tidwell notes parents should model safe driving behavior while driving with their teens, and talk to them about buckling up, obeying speed limits and putting cell phones away.
she says there are more teens usually driving this time of year.
"Teens are out of school, and they have more time on their hands. They're driving to summer jobs, they're hanging out with their friends,” said Tidwell. “We see over 30% of deaths involving a teen driver occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day."
Parents are also encouraged to have their teens use the “do not disturb” features on their phone while driving, and teens are encouraged to complete a comprehensive driver education course.
