AAA officials urge precautions during summer's '100 deadliest days' on the road

Officials with AAA are urging drivers to take precautions during the “100 deadliest days,” a period between Memorial Day and Labor Day during which teen-driver-related fatalities typically spikes. 

In Virginia, 246 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver between 2019 and 2023. A third of those deaths occurred during the 100 deadliest days of summer.

“During the summer months, teens tend to have more unstructured time behind the wheel as they commute to summer jobs, enjoy summertime activities and spend time with friends," said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesperson Morgan Dean.

AAA officials recommend steps that teens and parents can take to prevent fatalities on the road:

• Parents should model safe driving behavior and talk with their teens about buckling up, obeying speed limits and putting phones away. 

• Parents should talk with teens early and often about abstaining from dangerous behavior behind the wheel, such as speeding, impairment and distracted driving.

• During the free summer months, young drivers can complete a comprehensive driver education course to learn the rules of the road. In Virginia, teens must complete 45 hours of supervised driving, including at least 15 at night. 

• Establish a parent-teen driving agreement that sets family rules for teen drivers.

• Ensure that driving education curriculum is up to date and includes topics like advanced vehicle technology, the effects of cannabis on driving abilities, changes to Move Over laws, and sharing the road with vulnerable road users. 

New AAA research also found that turning on the “do not disturb” feature on phones while driving can limit distractions and curb vehicle crashes.