What Parents of Teens Need To Know About the ‘100 Deadliest Days of Summer'
AAA calls the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day (the unofficial start and end of the summer) the '100 Deadliest Days of Summer' due to the big increase in deadly crashes by teen drivers.
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The National Road Safety Foundation says that teens are 20% more likely to be involved in a fatal crash during the 100 Deadliest Days than they are during the rest of the year. The organization recommends talking to your teens about distracted driving (which they say accounts for up to 60% of teen crashes) and modeling good behavior yourself.
'Summer is a more dangerous time for teen drivers because of multiple factors,' Dr. Mandy Neeble Diamond, Ph.D., clinical forensic psychologist, senior clinical advisor at SOBRsafe, and mom of two, tells SheKnows. 'These include increased driving time because teens aren't in school during the day. This also means more social gatherings, more passengers since teens are usually with their friends and with more passengers comes more distractions.'
She adds that increased traffic also plays a factor in more accidents. 'Parents need to prepare their teen for the responsibility of driving and create as many safeguards as they can,' Dr. Diamond continues.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among teens ages 16-19 than any other age group. (Yes, this includes forgetful grandparents with bad eyesight.) Seriously, though, car crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens — with approximately 3,048 teens ages 13-19 killed in the U.S. in car crashes in 2023 alone, per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Newly licensed teens, males, and teens driving with other teens or young adult passengers are at even higher risk for a motor vehicle accident, according to the CDC. This is usually due to inexperience, not wearing a seat belt, speeding, driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol, and driving while distracted.
Zutobi, a driver's education app, released a Teen Driver's Report last year that found 3,082 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers (ages 15-20) in 2022 (the most recent year data is available). It's heartbreaking.
'When school's out, teens are on the road more often,' Lucas Waldenbäck, co-founder of Zutobi, tells SheKnows. 'They're driving to part-time jobs, social events, road trips — usually with friends in the car and often late at night. Without the structure of a school year, they also drive more freely and sometimes less cautiously. And because they're still gaining experience, all that added time behind the wheel comes with more risk.'
A recent study by iSharing looked at teen driver fatalities, fatal crashes involving young drivers ages 15-20, and road quality across U.S. states. They found that New Hampshire ranks first for teen driver safety, with the lowest fatality rate per 10k licensed young drivers and minimal fatal crashes. Rhode Island and West Virginia (ranked #3 and #4, respectively) had varying road quality that impacted teen driver safety, despite their overall safety rating. And New Jersey, ranked #2 for safety, still had over 120 teen driver fatalities annually.
'States that prioritize teen driver safety typically share a focus on both education and road infrastructure,' a spokesperson from iSharing said in a statement. 'It's clear that a well-rounded approach, which includes effective driver education, better road conditions, and policies to reduce impaired driving, is essential to minimizing teen accidents. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, addressing these key areas consistently can help create safer driving environments for young people.'
USAA conducted data from their SafePilot telematics app, which tracks everything from harsh braking to phone distractions, and found these states to have the highest distraction rates for teen drivers, per a May 2025 press release:
Mississippi: 18.1%
Louisiana: 15.6%
South Dakota: 14.5%
Iowa: 14.2%
Alabama: 13.8%
On the other hand, these states had the lowest distraction rates for teen drivers:
Oregon: 9.0%
Washington: 9.5%
Connecticut: 9.6%
Rhode Island: 9.6%
Hawaii: 9.7%
According to a survey conducted by USAA in 2024, the company's SafePilot app has effectively reduced poor driving habits in teens through real-time feedback and increased awareness. According to the survey, 87% of parents felt their child's driving improved since using the app, as teens were more observant of speed limits, less distracted by their phones, and had more awareness of other drivers.
Inexperienced drivers are more dangerous on the road. A new study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) published in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that there is 'statistically significant evidence' that increased driving practice for teen drivers can reduce the number of crashes and close calls. The study was done by analyzing in-car monitors over 22 months between 2011-2014 and found that those who practiced had 30% fewer accidents.
'Teens that practice driving, especially in a variety of environments, throughout their learner's permit stage help reduce their crash risk and improve safety outcomes once they are out driving on their own,' Charlie Klauer, research scientist at VTTI and lead author of the study, said in a statement.
Additionally findings showed that teens who shared a family car had fewer risky driving behaviors than those with their own vehicles; teens who had more supervised driving in diverse conditions experienced fewer crashes when they began driving independently; and in Virginia, many of the teens didn't meet the required 45 hours of driving time during their permit phase.
'Open communication is key,' Dr. Diamond says. 'Teens don't want to feel that they are being preached to and many times disregard what their parents say when they feel it's just more rules, or their parents are just trying to scare them.'
She recommends having 'short, to the point, direct conversations.' This might look like showing them news articles of teens who have been in accidents to express your concerns, giving them clear expectations of how you expect them to drive, and relaying the consequences that you'll implement if they aren't safe.
'Tell your teen that they have to not just drive for themselves but for everyone else on the road as well,' Dr. Diamond explains. Emphasize the importance of remaining alert and avoiding distractions. 'This includes looking at their phone, changing their music, and/or reaching for something out of their bag,' she continues. 'Remind them to always wear their seatbelt, don't follow other cars too closely, don't speed, and always be aware of their surroundings.'
Remind your teen that there are legal consequences to reckless driving as well. 'Also, I think it's so important to tell your kids that no matter what, they are to never drink and drive,' she adds. 'Not even one sip. And if they do, to know they can always call you, and you will go get them no questions asked.'
Utilize technology to help keep your teens safe this summer. Waldenbäck suggests using the Zutobi app that turns learning how to drive into a game.
'If your teen is more visual or tech-minded, tools like consequence simulations in the Zutobi app can really help,' he says. 'They show what happens when drivers make poor choices; a great way to teach without lecturing.'
Dr. Diamond recommends using the Life360 app with your kids, which tracks their location at all times. 'It shows exactly where your teen is, how fast they drive, any reckless braking, accelerated starts, and what time they leave and arrive at locations. I use it with my twins, and it's amazing.'
She also suggests getting the SOBRsure bracelet, which gives parents 100% certainty that their teen has had nothing to drink before they drive. 'Most teens experiment with drinking and during the summer there are more social gatherings, more parties, and more alcohol use,' she says, adding that the bracelet 'provides a peace of mind and security that all teens and their parents need.'
'I believe it's better to be safe than sorry,' Dr. Diamond adds. And when it comes to teen driving during the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, you can never be too safe!Best of SheKnows
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