The American Automobile Association (AAA) has released the findings of a new study on teen driving as the "100 Deadliest Days" of summer begins. This is the period where teenagers usually go out in groups and drive around town as they enjoy the break from school.
However, this is also the period where motorists experience a rise in driving accidents due to certain distracted driving behaviors among teen drivers. The AAA is cautioning parents about this so that they can remind or teach their kids about applying good driving habits.
The study, which has been published on the AAA site, was undertaken among teenagers from 16 to 19. It highlights that 1,022 people averagely die during the "100 Deadliest Days" of summer, and sums up that 60 percent of car accidents happen because of distracted driving behaviors.
Nearly 60% of teen auto crashes are caused by distracted driving. Chip Reid reports on this growing, deadly trend pic.twitter.com/pntMJFZlpM
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) June 1, 2016
These numbers are alarming because it means there are at least 10 road incidents a day involving teenagers during this period. The study also projects that daily incidents could rise to 16 percent a day this year, per WTOP. Further, the study underscored the following teen activities as most common among teens who drive cars, per U.S. News:
- Talking to passengers, especially with teens enjoying joyrides in the summer, accounted for 15 percent of accidents.
- Using their cellphones to talk, text or fiddle with the features and apps accounted for 12 percent.
- Not keeping their eyes on the road as they turn their attention to something else inside their vehicles accounted for 11 percent.
In light of "100 Deadliest Days" for teen drivers, parents are encouraged to engage their teenagers in conversations about driving often. The rules must be imposed and applied, and if possible, a written agreement should be set between the adults and the teen drivers. Children also learn by example, so parents must also drop bad habits when it comes driving. For more on teen driving, refer to this suggestions from the AAA.
