The period from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day has earned the moniker the “100 deadliest days.” But the ones who are most at risk are teenage drivers and their passengers.
We’re right at the halfway point of summer — with many folks still in celebration mode over the extended Fourth of July weekend. Could your teen be at risk?
Sad statistics for dozens of North Carolina families
Just last year, the North Carolina State police responded to 38 teen deaths in auto accidents during those same hundred days. The devastated families are left to pick up the pieces of lives taken far too young.
The combination of young, inexperienced drivers with their natural exuberance and still-developing brains can create the perfect storm for a serious collision that can main or even kill teen drivers and those with whom they collide.
Reducing distractions can lower the risk
Along with their inexperience, teens are especially vulnerable to distractions both within and outside of a vehicle. Parents can help reduce the inherent hazards of the hundred days by limiting the number of teens per vehicle and insisting that drivers not use cellphones unless they have pulled the car over in a safe area to make or answer a call or text.
Parental response after an accident injures their teen
If your teen gets hurt in an accident, whether it was caused by another teenager or an adult, they should be medically assessed and treated. As parents of an injured minor, you will also need to be their legal advocate in any civil actions that arise from the wreck.
