Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As the warm weather travel season heats up, so does the risk of serious accident. The "100 Deadliest Days" is the 100-day period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal teen crashes increase dramatically.
Nationwide, 6,697 people died in teen driver-related summertime crashes over a ten-year period from 2013 to 2022. In 2022 alone, 707 people were killed in such deadly crashes, a 10% increase over pre-pandemic figures from 2019.
"In New York State, 13 people were killed in crashes involved with teen drivers in the summer of 2022 and 151 people were killed in teen driver crashes during the 100 deadliest days over the 10 year span from 2013 to 2022," notes Anthony Spada, President and CEO of AAA Western and Central New York. "Many of these tragedies can be prevented, one life is too many to lose in these traffic crashes and that can be avoided by slowing down, paying better attention and just buckling up."
Due to inexperience, teen drivers are at higher risk of crashes. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Culture Index, about 72% of teen drivers aged 16-18 admitted to having engaged in risky driving behaviors such as texting while driving, running a red light or driving more than 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential street.
"Statistically, New York State Police and other law enforcement agencies will handle more fatalities from now until Labor Day than any other time of year here not only in Western New York, but the rest of the country," notes New York State Trooper James O'Callaghan. "We have a lot of people in the nice whether walking on the side of the road biking, walking their dogs, playing with kids on the side of the road or in their driveways. If you drive distracted, you will travel hundreds, if not thousands of feet without realizing you're driving on the shoulder, possibly hitting one of these people."
The Prevention Council of Erie County's Executive Director Robin Mann adds that in addition to distracted driving and alcohol being a main component to car crashes, the legalization of recreational cannabis has caused an uptick in teenagers using the marijuana and driving, particularly by vaping.
"When it comes to driving, we know that marijuana impacts motor coordination, visual functions and reflex time, which are all skills that are needed to drive defensively and safely," says Mann. "Parents, we encourage you to develop a plan of action. No, we don't want to see our children out there using, but in the event that they find themselves using drugs or in a situation where drugs are being used, create a plan with them, talk to them about this plan, review the plan with them several times, be that constant reminder for them. These conversations need to happen more than once."
