AAA is urging drivers to practice “100 Days of Safe Driving” during the summer season.
The “100 days of Safe Driving” is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day as summer driving brings increased risks.
According to a AAA review of national crash data, more than 30% of fatal crashes involving teen drivers and nearly one-third of all impaired driving fatalities occur during this period.
The most recent year of complete crash data – 2024 – shows that 2,635 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver with a third of those deaths – 825 – happening in these 100 days of summer.
AAA’s Jana Tidwell says the First State’s ratios are similar to the national data.
"Here in Delaware, eight people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers in the year 2024, and again, one-third of them or 3 happened during the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day," said Tidwell.
Meanwhile, Tidwell has some tips for teen drivers before hitting the road this summer.
"First and foremost, always buckle up as soon as you get in the car. Before you start the car limit distractions, not just the phone. It's programming navigation, it's changing music. It's eating, drinking. Eliminate navigations, so your primary focus, 100% of your attention is on the road ahead,” said Tidwell. “Make sure that you obey posted speed limits."
Those tips apply to any driver, and for those of a legal drinking age, you can add planning ahead for a sober ride by designating a driver or using a ride share app.
That last tip is especially important as the crash data analysis reveals that nearly one in three summertime traffic deaths involves an impaired driver.
