Memorial Day marks start of ‘100 Deadliest Days of Summer’
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Memorial Day marks the unofficial start to the summer, but it also marks the beginning of a dangerous time of year for teen drivers.
The one-hundred-day period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often called the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.”
The name refers to the time of year when driving related fatalities among teenagers spike by 20% nationwide.
On average, around seven young adults die on the road each day during this time.
David Reich with the National Road Safety Foundation says oftentimes the best way to prevent teens from unsafe driving is by having a conversation.
“One way to do it is just to say ‘you know, it’s the beginning of the summer, I’ve been hearing about this 100 deadliest days, or 100 safest days, I don’t want you to be one of those statistics,” Reich said.
Reich notes that while driving fatalities were down nationally by about 3% last year, they were actually up in North Carolina by 6%.
