The “100 deadliest days” refer to the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when the number of deaths arising from accidents with teen drivers tends to escalate. Residents of Florida with a teenage son or daughter who has recently become licensed should take note of this trend.
It’s already well-known that teens can be negligent and reckless on the road. In AAA’s Traffic Safety Culture Index, 72% of respondents from 16 to 18 years old admitted to some unsafe act as a driver in the past 30 days. Of these, 47% said they had sped in a residential area, 40% said they sped on the highway and 35% confessed to texting. Also widely noted were red light running at 32%, aggressive driving at 31% and drowsy driving at 25%.
Parents should talk to their teen about the dangers of these and other forms of negligence. They should tell their teen that between 2008 and 2018, there were over 8,300 fatalities stemming from teen driving crashes, which amounts to an average of more than seven deaths for each day of summer.
Parents could also, for a minimum of 50 hours, coach their teens in-vehicle about safe driving. AAA offers a free four-page guide to help with this. Above all, parents must set a good example.
Ultimately, the decision rests with teens how they want to drive. If they are involved in car accidents through their own negligence, then this may give rise to a claim. Florida is a no-fault state, so victims may be covered by personal injury protection, but others may suffer serious injuries or disabilities, in which case a third-party insurance claim might be feasible. Victims may want to see a lawyer for a case evaluation before anything else.
