Why summer is the most dangerous season for teen drivers; and where it’s worst

(NEXSTAR) – Memorial Day is just around the corner, which means summer is almost here for Americans. AAA refers to this time between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the “100 Deadliest Days” for drivers.

This is due to the fact that more people are on the road than usual, and fatalities rise significantly during this time of year, especially among teen drivers between the ages of 15 and 20.

According to MoneyGeek, while driver fatalities as a whole have seen a steady decrease over the last couple of years, teen driver fatalities have seen a significant 17.2% increase in the last two years.

In the most recent available summer data, summer 2024, teen driver deaths reached 635, up from 542 in 2023.

AAA believes that the reason for the rise in teen deaths in the summer is due to several factors, such as more nighttime driving, more passengers in vehicles, and highway trips that potentially outpace a new driver’s experience.

On a state-by-state basis, several states saw many more teen deaths than others on the road. At the top of the list was Texas, which saw 68 teen summer fatalities in 2024.

Not far behind was California with 49, followed by Florida with 34.

Here’s a list of the states with the most teen summer fatalities, according to MoneyGeek.

To learn more about the 100 Deadliest Days or how safe your state is at driving, check out MoneyGeek’s full study on their website.

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