The 100 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day see more fatal crashes per day, on average, involving teen drivers compared to the rest of the year, according to AAA.

Data from AAA shows 281 teen drivers died in crashes from 2010 to 2019 in New Jersey, with 81 of them during the summer months.  

In response, AAA Northeast is launching a summerlong social media campaign on the AAA Northeast Facebook page and online as well. 

Traffic safety experts, advocates and driving school instructors will share resources and research to help parents become effective in-car coaches and manage their teen's overall driving privileges.

“We have a new brochure called coaching your teen driver,” says Robert Sinclair, Jr., with AAA Northeast. “Really brief bullet points that go through various aspects of driving for that new teenage driver that a parent can go through.”

Here is what teenage drivers admit to in a AAA survey:

•           47% admit to driving more than 10 mph over the speed limit in residential areas.

•           40% admit to driving more than 15 mph over the speed limit on the highway.

•           35% admit to texting while driving.

•           32% admit to running a red light.

•           25% admit to driving while drowsy.

•           17% admit to not wearing a seat belt.

“There is a parent teen contract where it is spelled out and understood between that parent and their teen driver exactly what is expected from them when they are behind the wheel, and it sets parameters and lets them know that if it’s violated there are consequences,” says Sinclair.

Nationally, more than 7,000 teens died in crashes involving a teen driver in the years from 2010 to 2019, which averages seven fatalities per day during the summer, compared to six per day the rest of the year.