Teen Driver Crash Deaths Rise 14% in Summer Months

Between Memorial Day and Labor Day of 2016, more than 1,050 people lost their lives in crashes involving teenage drivers. That translates into 10 fatalities each day — a 14% increase compared to the remainder of the year, according to the AAA Foundation.

Fleet drivers contend with many hazards on the road, but inexperienced drivers are a significant threat they may not think about often enough.

Fleet managers should be aware of this important traffic safety concern, and share the latest data with drivers so they are alert to the problem and more cautious on the road, especially during the summer months.

Two key factors that affect collisions include speed and nighttime driving, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's FARS data analyzed by the AAA Foundation. For example, during the summertime period — also known as the 100 Deadliest Days — one in 10 of all motor vehicle nighttime crash fatalities involved a teen driver.

Moreover, the data shows a 22% increase in the average number of nighttime crashes per day involving teen motorists over that same time period as compared with the rest of the year.

Speeding is an additional concern linked to inexperienced drivers and the uptick in fatal crashes.

According to the AAA Foundation's analysis, 10% of all motor vehicle speed-related fatalities involved a teen driver. In addition, when a teen was behind the wheel and a fatal crash occurred, in 29% of the cases it was speed-related.