CHARLOTTE, N.C. — New teen drivers between the age 16-17 are three times more likely than adults to be involved in a deadly crash, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
AAA made the announcement as the "100 Deadliest Days" begin, the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the average number of deadly teen driver crashes climbs 15 percent compared to the rest of the year.
Over the past five years, more than 1,600 people were killed in crashes involving inexperienced teen drivers during this period, according to AAA.
"Distraction continues to be one of the leading causes of crashes for teen drivers. By better understanding how teens are distracted on the road and reminding them to disconnect and drive, we can better prevent deaths throughout the 100 Deadliest Days and the rest of the year," said AAA Carolinas President and CEO Dave Parsons.
According to AAA, North Carolina saw 95 teen fatalities in 2016, and more than 12,000 teens were injured in motor vehicle accidents. The study said 22.2 percent of all teen crashes in North Carolina in 2016 were the result of distracted driving.
In 2016, 73 people between the ages of 15-19 years of age were killed in traffic collisions in South Carolina.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's latest study analyzes crash rates per mile driven for all drivers and found that for every mile on the road, drivers ages 16-17 years old are:
- 3.9 times as likely as drivers 18 and older to be involved in a crash
- 2.6 times as likely as drivers 18 and older to be involved in a fatal crash
- 4.5 times as likely as drivers 30-59 to be involved in a crash
- 3.2 times as likely as drivers 30-59 to be involved in a fatal crash
The number of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes increased more than 10 percent from the previous year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2015 crash data, the latest data available.
AAA is urging parents to help reduce the number of deadly crashes on the road by getting more involved and talking to their teens about the dangers of risky behavior behind the wheel.
Three factors that commonly result in deadly crashes for teen drivers are:
- Distraction: Distraction plays a role in nearly six out of 10 teen crashes, four times as many as official estimates based on police reports. The top distractions for teens include talking to other passengers in the vehicle and interacting with a smart phone.
- Not Buckling Up: In 2015, the latest data available, 60 percent of teen drivers killed in a crash were not wearing a safety belt. Teens who buckle up significantly reduce their risk of dying or being seriously injured in a crash.
- Speeding: Speeding is a factor in nearly 30 percent of fatal crashes involving teen drivers. A recent AAA survey of driving instructors found that speeding is one of the top three mistakes teens make when learning to drive.
AAA has a variety of tools to help prepare parents and teens for the dangerous summer driving season, check them out here.
Cox Media Group