What Are the 100 Deadliest Days for Teens in Virginia?
You may have heard the expression the 100 Deadliest Days without knowing what it means. For the uninitiated, the 100 deadliest days for teens in Virginia fall between Memorial Day and Labor Day. As teens leave school for the summer vacation, the deadly accident rate soars.
It’s a very real and worrying phenomenon, particularly in places like Virginia Beach where teens go to party. The death toll on the road is pushed up by alcohol, distracted driving, and an upsurge of inexperienced drivers on the roads. However, taking some precautions can help ensure you live to party another day.
A Warning from the Virginia Beach Police Department
Recently, the Virginia Beach Police Department Facebook page carried a warning about the 100 deadliest days.
The police department said studies found crashes involving teen drivers regularly claims more than 1,000 lives over the summer period.
According to AAA, more than 1,050 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver in 2016 during the 100 Deadliest Days. The death toll often hits four figures.
During the 100 Deadliest Days, teens often find themselves on unfamiliar roads with multiple passengers in their cars in high spirits.
Although parents know a lot about the dangers of smartphones at the wheel, they are probably not aware of how distracting passengers can be. The Virginia Beach Police Department states passengers can increase the risk of a fatal crash by a staggering 44 percent.
Virginia has rules about teen drivers and passengers for this reason. If you are a driver under the age of 18, you are only allowed to carry one passenger under the age of 21, unless you are accompanied by an adult or a licensed parent in the front seat.
After you have held your license for one year, you may carry up to three passengers under the age of 21 in the following scenarios only:
- Traveling to and from a school-sponsored activity;
- When a licensed driver aged 21 or older is sitting in the front passenger seat; or
- In case of an emergency.
Virginia also has a curfew that prohibits drivers under the age 18 who hold a learner’s permit or driver’s license from driving between midnight and 4 a.m.
The Virginia Beach Police Department is urging parents to talk with their teenagers before Memorial Day about the dangers of driving to ensure that everyone arrives alive.
Tips for Surviving the 100 Deadliest Days for Teens in Virginia
Tell Your Teen to Slow Down
About 29 percent of fatal teen crashes are caused by excess speed. Taking your foot off the gas can make a difference.
Don’t Drive After Drinking Alcohol
Someone dies every 51 minutes in the United States from the actions of a drunk driver. When teens drive drunk it’s doubly dangerous because they are inexperienced drivers. Many teens also take drugs that can affect their reaction times. Appoint a designated driver or call an Uber or a Lyft.
Make a Driving Agreement
Consider drawing up a pact with your teen that sets out rules and boundaries. They should be more stringent than state laws. Make sure there are consequences of breaking rules like not being allowed to drive a family car.
Wear a Seatbelt
Wearing a seatbelt is the law in Virginia. If you wear a seatbelt you are less likely to be ejected and killed in a car wreck.
Put away your cellphone
We have seen horrendous cases in which teens have been texting, taking videos, and posting on social media when driving. It’s not clever and it may claim a life of you or another road user.
Learn More from a Virginia Beach Car Accident Lawyer
At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, our attorneys see the deaths and injuries caused by teen drivers at first hand. We meet the families of the deceased and people who suffer terrible injuries because of the irresponsible actions of a young driver. Please drive carefully during the 100 Deadliest Days for Teens in Virginia. Contact us to find out how a Virginia Beach car accident injury lawyer can help you. Call us today.
