From the Washington Post
June 11, 2013
Federal data show that the average number of teenagers who die in accidents doubles during the three months that begin when school lets out for the summer. Seven of the 10 deadliest days for teen drivers are clustered in those months, and some of the dates from 2011 are likely party weekends: the last Saturday in June, two days of the July 4 weekend and a Sunday late in August just before universities launch their fall terms.
“Beyond dispute, summertime emerges as the deadliest time of year for teen drivers and passengers,” said John B. Townsend II of AAA, who tracks teen fatality statistics. “What’s more, weekends are particularly dangerous for teen drivers.”
Surprisingly, a study released Tuesday by Ford showed that two-thirds of teen drivers and 58 percent of their parents believed that winter was the most dangerous season for teenagers on the road.
Despite common parental laments that their teenagers don’t listen to them, State Farm said that two-thirds of teenagers said that the best way to learn driving skills was with their parent in the car. More than half of them said their parents provided driving advice.
AAA found that 980 teen drivers and their passengers died in crashes nationwide between Memorial Day and Labor Day of 2011.
“To keep teens safe during these dangerous months and the rest of the year, parents need to be especially vigilant about communicating with their teens about safety and enforcing household rules about driving,” Townsend said.
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