NC parents beware: next 100 days ‘deadly’ for teen drivers

With Memorial Day behind us, kids all across North Carolina are more than ready to finish school and enjoy a much-needed summer break. For parents, however, this time of year isn’t always as relaxing as it can be for our kids.

This can be especially true for parents with teen drivers. According to recent reports from AAA, the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are the deadliest for drivers who are 16-19 years old.

There are several reasons for the reported 43 percent increase in fatal teen accidents during the summer months. Among them are:

• More free time during the day to take longer trips
• Inexperience of young drivers
• Use of cellphones while driving
• Distraction by passengers
• Increased opportunities for young people to drive drunk
• The necessity of making more trips for things like errands, work and other activities that take the place of being in school
• More relaxed attitudes during summer

These factors, combined with the fact that there are other drivers on the road who are also reckless, distracted and negligent add up to serious dangers on the road. Sadly, teen drivers may be the ones who ultimately pay the price.

If you get injured in an accident with a teen driver this summer, or if your teen is the one who is hurt in a crash, you will want to speak with an attorney about your legal options. Motor vehicle accidents have the potential to cause serious damage, and victims and their families have the right to hold the appropriate parties accountable and seek the compensation they deserve.