Teens are four times as likely to be in a car crash and three times as likely to die in a crash, according to information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on crash testing and safety tests on vehicles, and rates them according to those results. The IIHS is fully funded by the automobile insurance industry and provides information to policy makers and departments of transportation about how to make roadways safer.

Joe Young, IIHS director of Media Relations, cited four main – and familiar – factors that contribute to car crashes: distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and failure to use seatbelts.

Now that most schools are out for the summer, there’s a greater likelihood that more teen drivers are on the road, and they’ve got friends or family as passengers.

They may be driving to places they’re less familiar with – like the beach or other vacation spot, Young said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day has become known as the 100 deadliest days of the year, Young said, for the simple fact that more cars are on the road, and some of those cars are being driven by inexperienced drivers. Throw in one or more of those four factors and it all adds up to be a more dangerous driving environment, Young said.

“Looking nationwide, we see about 30 extra teens dying each month in crashes” during the summer, Young said.

“In North Carolina, we do see crash deaths are a little bit above (the national) average,” he said.

And while awareness plays a role in reducing car crashes, Young recommends several additional tangible steps for parents and teens to take. Here are a few things to consider:

• Choose a safe vehicle for your teen to drive. Keep them out of the smallest vehicle that may not offer great protection, and out of the largest vehicles that may prove more difficult to handle out on the road. A mid-size “boring” car that provides good crash protection is ideal, Young said.
• Vehicles get safer every year. Don’t put teens in an older vehicle, he said, acknowledging the fact that parents may think that an older model may be a good option for the pocketbook.
• Keep a teen driver out of a vehicle that has a lot of power, like a “muscle” car or even a new EV choice.
• Parents are in charge and can set rules above and beyond what state laws require. North Carolina has a graduated driver license that places limits on when a new driver can drive, among other things.

“Our reminder to parents is to get to know the laws in your state, but feel free to make your own rules,” Young said.

“And set a good example” for teen drivers. “They’re always watching.”

Visit www.iihs.org to find a list of cars for drivers of all ages based on safety considerations. Download a teen driver contract template as well.

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