Teens face increased risk of car crashes during 100 deadliest days of driving

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The one-hundred deadliest days of the year for teen drivers began over the weekend, putting them at an increased risk for experiencing a car crash.

The Kansas Department of Transportation’s most recent crash data from 2021 shows that 11,507 accidents occurred involving drivers between the ages of 15-19. Of those, 40 involved fatalities and 2,878 resulted in injury.

“There are more daily deaths from crashes involving teen drivers during the summer months than the rest of the year because teens tend to have more unstructured time behind the wheel, as they commute to summer jobs, enjoy summertime activities and spend time with friends,” said Shawn Steward, public affairs manager, AAA Kansas.

AAA cites a number of factors as the cause for this summertime increase in crashes, including speeding, drug and alcohol use, and cell phones.

Tim Mayers, director of Johnny Rowlands Driving School in Topeka, emphasizes how quickly and easily a person can be in an accident when they become distracted.

“I tell them in class to put their phone on silent because if it vibrates, I’ll snatch it out of their hands just to throw it out the window,” he said, joking. “Just to make my point. And then I say no really but thats how important it is it takes. Three seconds you lose control, hit somebody, change your life in a minute. Your life can change in the blink of an eye.”

13 News spoke with Rogelio Zamora and Hannah Caudill, two teens both eligible to drive.

The 40 fatality crashes were poignant to Zamora, who said he’s be more cautious of his speed and driving habits.

Caudill gasped upon hearing the number of teen-involved crashes in 2021, stating she’d fix her habit of using her phone in the car to send messages and pick songs.

“That was... wow. That’s actually crazy to think about.” she said.

AAA advises parents to be proactive about talking with their teens about dangerous driving behaviors, lead by example, and complete at least 60 hours of supervised driving practice with 10 of those hours being at night.

AAA offers a variety of resources for teens and their parents, including a coaching guide for parents, the AAA Teen Drivers Website, and the SmartStart Parent Session.

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