Updated on: 6/30/2023
'100 Deadliest Days': Memorial Day Weekend Through Labor Day Weekend
There is an increase in the number of fatal drunk driving accidents, for both adults and teens, during the '100 Deadliest Days' of the year. The time period that spans from the start of Memorial Day weekend through the end of Labor Day weekend involves more people choosing to celebrate summer holidays by drinking alcohol and then getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.
On average 422 teens die in car accidents in the US every month during the summer.
This kind of data begs the question, "why are the 100 deadliest days so deadly?"
Summer equals freedom for teenagers. Freedom from the regularity of school and from scheduled life in general. Unfortunately, summer can also be a dangerous time for teens who are in automobiles. In fact, traffic fatality is the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S., with markedly higher numbers of car crashes involving teens occurring during the months while school is not in session.
An inexperienced driver who may be distracted by friends in the car and impaired by celebrations that include alcohol and drugs is a deadly combination. Couple that with no school and few responsibilities, these factors create a lot of opportunities for collisions during the 100 deadly days.