European Auto Repair Experts  in Absecon, NJ Since 1983

We’re still more than a month away from Memorial Day, but did you know that the 100 days between Memorial Day (Monday, May 25, 2026) and Labor Day (Monday, September 7, 2026) are known as the “100 deadliest days” when it comes to traffic fatalities? In particular, this is a time that sees VERY high rates of traffic fatalities involving teen drivers, many of whom are fairly new to driving and may not exercise the caution that older, more seasoned driver have. In fact, last year it was reported that, between 2019 and 2023, 13,135 people nationwide were killed in car crashes involving teen drivers, with 30% occurring during the 100 deadliest days. Jake Nelson, Director of Traffic Safety advocacy and Research at Triple-A, believes that the greater unsupervised time teens spend during the Summer Vacation is a major contributing factor in this trend, and he encourages families to strongly consider additional driver education classes offered through Triple-A as well as parent-teen safe driving agreements to set clearly-defines expectations for new drivers1. As car crashes are the leading cause of death for American teenagers, this is great, sound advice! It is speculated that the underlying causes of these statistics involve a combination of factors: • School is out, and teens are eager to explore their young adulthood. Who can remember the excitement of having “new wheels” and the freedom to expand their social lives2? • Inexperience is clearly a factor. How skilled can you really be at something you’ve only been doing a short while2? • Speeding is exhilarating when you’re a new driver….I know. It’s also dangerous as things happen faster when you’re moving faster. I did my share of racing when I was a kid, and, luckily, I never got into an accident….but I DID get a lot of speeding tickets which eventually taught me to be more responsible2. • Distracted driving is deadly for all age groups, but is particularly dangerous for teens, where it accounts for around 60% of all accidents involving teens. Teach your kids to PUT THE CELL PHONE DOWN, not to eat or drink while driving, and to focus on the road2. • Drunk driving is also a major problem that spans age groups….but, with regards to teen drivers, inexperience plus impairment of reflexes and thinking can be particularly deadly. In 2022, 30% of young drivers between 15 and 20 who were killed in car accidents had BACs of 0.01g/dl2. PARENTS, BE PREPARED! Talk to YOUR young drivers and make them aware that driving is inherently dangerous: there are always risks. But, during the 100 deadliest days, being safe may not only save them from being sorry….it may save their lives! 1. https://newsroom.aaa.com/2025/05/the-100-deadliest-days-teen-driver-deaths-jump-in-summer-months/ 2. https://nrsf.org/100-safest-days-summer#:~:text=Some%20factors%20that%20contribute%20to%20the%20increased,behavior%20*%20Consider%20a%20defensive%20driving%20course