AAA Wisconsin is beginning an effort to alert drivers to what they call the "100 deadliest days".
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study says nearly 60 percent of teen crashes involve distractions behind the wheel. The research also finds a disturbing trend showing that texting and social media use are on the rise among teen drivers.
AAA spokesperson Nick Jarmusz says the summer months are among the most deadly...
"...two out of every three people involved in a crash involving a teen driver are other than the teen driver themselves. Passengers of teen drivers and other folks on the road with them(are at risk). We're all sharing the road with teen drivers...."
Nationally, An average of 1,022 people died each year in crashes involving teen drivers. Talking or attending to other passengers in the vehicle resulted in 15 percent of crashes. Talking, texting or operating a cell phone were 12 percent of the crashes, and other distractions were 11 percent of crashes.
Jarmusz says parents should talk to teens about the dangers of distracted driving and monitor their actions behind the wheel.
Over the past five years, more than 5,000 people have been killed in crashes involving teen drivers during the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period starting at Memorial Day when teen crash deaths historically climb.
