For teenagers, the summer months mean fun with friends and freedom from school. But they also come with some serious safety concerns.
AAA is warning teen drivers about the "100 deadliest days." That's the period starting on Memorial Day when teen deaths from car wrecks have historically spiked.
Researchers said the summertime is much more dangerous because teenagers are out of school and on the road more frequently.
Over the past five years, an average of 10 people have died per day in crashes involving teen drivers during those "100 deadliest days." Sadly, many of those deaths could have been prevented. The AAA study says nearly 60 percent of all teen crashes involved a distracted driver.
Yes, texting is a big problem, but the study says it's not the biggest. Apparently, teens are more likely to be distracted by a passenger than anything else.
Cellphones were found to be a factor in just 12 percent of teen crashes, though researchers say the number of teenagers who text and use social media while driving is on the rise.
Now that the "100 deadliest days" are upon us, AAA is encouraging parents to educate their teen drivers about the dangers of being distracted behind the wheel.
This video includes a clip from AAA and images from AAA and Getty Images. Music provided courtesy of APM Music.
