Nonprofits partner to combat rising crash rates among Tennessee teens
JACKSON, Tenn. — Car crashes involving Tennessee teens are up from previous years.
According to traffic safety experts, the period from Memorial Day through Labor Day usually shows a dangerous spike in teen traffic fatalities.
It’s known as “The 100 Deadliest Days”.
“Through all different forms of reckless driving and poor decisions being made behind the wheel there was over 1,300 crashes in Tennessee last year, which is up 2% from the previous year,” said Louis Pratt, National President of S.A.A.D.
The National Road Safety Foundation and young people who are active in Students Against Destructive Decisions are partnering together to rebrand this period as the “safest summer ever” by calling attention to a variety of safe driving issues.
“There’s a lot of things that go into it. There’s distracted driving. It’s impaired driving. It’s reckless. You didn’t wear your seatbelt. There are just so many different reasonings as to why these crashes are happening,” said Pratt.
It is also an effort to encourage teens to speak up when in a vehicle that is being driven dangerously.
“Whether you are the driver or the passenger you have the power to make sure that you have a safe ride,” said Pratt.
Advocates say use strategies like asking someone to set their phone down or volunteer to drive if you find yourself in a vehicle with a dangerous driver.
10% of teen drivers in fatal crashes are from distracted driving.
Advocates say put in more work to be safe, and arrive alive.
To find out more on reducing teen fatalities this summer, click here.
For more local news, click here.
