From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the roads tend to get busier for all the obvious reasons. School is out, family trips pick up, and teen drivers are on the road more often. In South Carolina, that already creates enough risk on its own. Add in distractions, inexperience, and the general rush of summer, and it’s not hard to see why this stretch of the year has earned the nickname the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers. According to AAA, nearly half of all traffic-related deaths involving a teen driver occur during this period.
Teen drivers don’t need bad intentions to end up in serious wrecks. A driver who is still learning how to read traffic, judge speed, and react under pressure has less room for error — especially with friends in the car or a phone close at hand. But in South Carolina, that risk doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Our state has long struggled with serious traffic safety problems, including high fatality rates, dangerous road conditions in some areas, and too many crashes involving impaired drivers.
Summer tends to magnify all of it. Teen drivers already have higher crash rates than older drivers, and these months bring more freedom, more passengers, later nights, and more time on the road. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that teens have crash rates nearly four times those of drivers 20 and older per mile driven. AAA Carolinas has pointed to speeding, drinking and driving, and distraction as major contributing factors during the 100 Deadliest Days.
What Parents Can Do Right Now
For parents, this is a good time to tighten the rules rather than loosen them:
- Limit passengers. Extra riders are a major source of distraction for new drivers.
- Restrict night driving. Reduced visibility and later-night social pressures increase risk significantly.
- Put the phone away — literally. Make it clear the phone should be out of reach before the car starts moving.
- Have the hard conversations. Talk honestly about alcohol, bad roads, and the pressure teens feel to keep up with friends.
Summer should feel free, but no one wants it to feel careless. A few clear rules now can reduce the risk of a serious accident later.
If your family has been affected by a serious crash this summer, you don’t have to navigate what comes next alone. Contact Evans Moore, LLC today by completing our online form — we’re here to talk through your options.