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Memorial Day marks the beginning 100 Deadliest Days for teen drivers

Driving a Car
Posted at 6:49 AM, May 30, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-30 18:18:28-04

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Since school is out for the summer, it's time for summer road trips. But from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the roads are considered to be the most dangerous for teen drivers. This Memorial Day, AAA expects nearly $35 million people to be on the roads this summer.

“The 100 deadliest days is typically between memorial day and labor day," Beverly Mason-Biggers with Mothers Against Drunk Driving said. "One, kids are out of school so there’s more people driving in general.”

Beverly Mason-Biggers with Arizona's chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Drivingsaid since more people are driving during the summer, it's important to make safe choices behind the wheel like driving the speed limit and staying off the phone.

"It’s frustrating sometimes because we know what causes impaired driving," she said. "It's a choice and because it’s a choice it’s 100% preventable."

For Mason-Biggers, drunk and distracted impacted her family thirty years ago.

“My brother Scott was hit by a repeat drunk driver and died from his injuries," she said. "It’s something you learn to live with but you never get over it.”

She said during the summer months, crashes with teen drivers increase 23% during the summer.

“You should be out there making memories and enjoying each other but also understand that you’re choices and your decisions have consequences," she said.

She said parents should talk with their teens and model good driving behavior like no driving or using cell phones.

“Everybody has to do their part," she said. "It’s just going to go away, we have to keep this in the forefront we have to think about it every time we get on the road."
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