The Most Deadly Day To Drive – 4th Of July

Seth Smiley here from the Smiley Law Firm with today’s edition of the Parents of Teen Drivers Facebook Group. Our topic to discuss today is, “The most deadly day to drive – the 4th of July.”

It is a dangerous time for anybody to drive. Still, teen driving statistics show that we should be concerned that there are more fatal accidents than on any other day of the year. Parents need to educate their kids as teen driving laws alone are not enough. It is often not our teenagers that are at fault. They can be completely attentive and responsible and still have something horrible happen to them over the holidays.

People tend to act irresponsibly on this holiday, and the incidence of drunk driving, and being otherwise intoxicated goes way up. We need to tell our teens that it is vital to drive defensively, take extra precautions, and, if possible, stay off the roads altogether. Other people are out there texting while driving, drinking, using illegal substances, and being distracted by other people in the car. You need to make sure that your teen driver doesn’t follow suit. Emphasize how significant the risks are on this date, and persuade them to stay home with the folks and leave travel plans for another day.

The 4th of July is the major holiday that falls within the 100 deadliest days of summer. Let’s hope some good comes from the COVID-19 crisis, and with more people staying home, there are fewer serious accidents this year. You can also remind your teen drivers of the basics if they do need to drive. Buckle up, put their phones away, don’t get distracted, and don’t have anyone else in the car doing that type of thing. One last thing to try is to keep them off the roads during peak hours. The 4th happens to be on a Saturday this year, which increases the risks. Ask your teenagers to stay off the roads late at night and early morning when too many people will be driving under the influence.

If you have any thoughts or questions about “The most deadly day to drive – 4th of July,” please leave a comment below.