Stay Safe During This Summer’s 100 Deadliest Days

What Are the 100 Deadliest Days for Driving?

The 100 deadliest days for driving in the United States are the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. They are an especially dangerous time for teen drivers. According to The National Road Safety Foundation, “teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash during this period.” These 100 beautiful summer days can lead to serious and unpredictable automobile wrecks that may claim the lives of dozens of teenagers. The worst part? It can happen on any American road or highway, and even though it could be easily prevented, it is likely that many will succumb to it this summer.

Motor vehicle crashes and other accidental injuries are the leading cause of death in teens ages 15-19, according to CDC. Learn how you and your teen driver can stay safe during this summer’s 100 deadliest days.

In The Article

Safety Tips for the 100 Deadliest Days of Driving

Avoid Distracted Driving

When most people think of distracted driving, they usually envision someone trying to send a text message or film a social media video. While these two actions can easily distract drivers and lead to car accidents, driving with passengers can lead to deadly car accidents for teens. As a matter of fact, the mortality rate for teens driving in a vehicle with two or more friends who are also teenagers is twice as much as a teen driving alone, and teens driving with a mix of teens and young adult passengers are seven times more likely to die than if the teen was driving alone, according to the National Safety Council.

We know that distractions come in many forms. Texting while driving, eating while driving, and messing with your radio all have significant effects on how teens manage their vehicles.

Take Precautions in Extreme Weather

Make sure you know exactly what to do if there is heavy rains, extreme flooding, a flash flood warning, or potential rock slides for mountain areas of New Mexico.

Rockslides

If you’re driving in extreme wind and rain, or in the days following the extreme weather, be on the lookout for falling rocks. If you experience a rockslide while driving, make sure you stop immediately when you’re out of the path, put your hazard lights on, and get to higher ground as soon as possible. If possible, use road flares to warn other drivers, and call 9-1-1 to report the slide.

Flooded Roads

You may have heard the slogan “Turn Around, Don’t Drown”, and it holds true. You can never tell how deep standing and running water really goes, and attempting to drive your vehicle through it can lead to your car dying and you potentially drowning. Even if you’ve driving the road a million times and don’t think that the water is too deep, keep in mind that water is very powerful and can wash roads away, making it much deeper than you anticipate.

Heavy Rains

If you’re caught in heavy rains, be sure to not drive faster than you can control. This could mean that you have to drive lower than the speed limit. If this happens, be sure to put your hazard lights on to let other vehicles know you are driving slowly. If your windshield wipers cannot keep up with the downpour, attempt to find a safe place to pull over until the rain lightens up a bit.

Don’t Drive Under the Influence

While this may seem like a no-brainer, drinking and driving is incredibly dangerous, and can lead to serious deaths. Even though New Mexico, just like in other states, alcohol cannot be legally sold to anyone under age 21, one in six teenage drivers involved in fatal crashes during the 100 deadliest days of summer, or more than 16 percent, tested positive for alcohol. Even though some teenagers may think they can handle driving under the influence of alcohol, the evidence shows otherwise. For example, the reaction time of a person with a blood alcohol level within the legal limit (BAC 0.08) increases by 120 milliseconds.

While this may not seem like much, when driving at 70 miles per hour, a driver with this BAC will travel for an additional 12 feet before reacting to a danger on the road. Even small amounts of alcohol can, therefore, make a difference between having a safe journey and getting into a fatal accident. The bottom line? Never drink and drive, even if you don’t feel drunk.

Don’t Speed

While distracted driving is the most common cause of all teenage accidents, speeding is by far the deadliest. According to AAA, out of all fatal summer accidents involving teens, 28% percent are caused by speeding. Speeding is a common vice among young drivers. In one study conducted by AAA, almost half of teen drivers polled admitted to speeding on a residential street in the past 30 days and nearly 40 percent said they had sped on the freeway.

In New Mexico, general speed limits are 75 miles per hour on highways, 35 miles per hour in business and residential districts, and 15 miles per hour in a posted school zone. As a teenage driver, remember that ignoring these limits can be deadly. Additionally, it is important to remember that when driving at night or in difficult or dangerous conditions, a driver must adjust and reduce speed in order to stay safe.

Always Wear Your SeatBelt

Seat belts save lives. In New Mexico, it’s the law: “all passengers in the front and back seats must be wearing a seat belt.” Yet, there are some who still refuse to wear them. Unfortunately, this can lead to severe injuries and even death in the event of a car accident. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Seat belt use in passenger vehicles saved an estimated 14,955 lives in 2017.

What to do if You Were Injured in the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer

If you or a loved one was injured in a wreck that wasn’t your fault, call Ron Bell Injury Lawyers to get a free case evaluation. We can help you establish fault, build your car accident case, and get the compensation you deserve.