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Teen driving: How to stay safe this summer as you head out on the road

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Posted at 8:04 PM, Jun 29, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-29 20:04:18-04

BALTIMORE — As we head into a holiday weekend, parents and teens alike will be traveling in and around the state.

According to AAA, from Memorial Day to Labor Day marks the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. They say an average of seven people are killed per day in teen driver-related crashes during that time-frame.

With restrictions being lifted across the country and the state, its inevitable that young drivers will be eager to reconnect and travel with their friends.

Whether its reminding them of the dangers of drunk driving, texting and driving or making sure they remember how to think quickly, there are a number of things parents can be doing to ensure their kids are safe if they head out on the road this summer.

"The best way to approach those topics is to be brutally honest with your children, without scaring them," explained Executive Director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving Roderick Howard. "Being behind the wheel is a serious and very important task and given that task, it's very important that we are very vigilant on being cautious when we're on the roads."

When you're a teenager, you think you know everything about driving, but when you finally get out on the open road, there's going to be challenges that come upon you.

"It's very important as a teen driver that you take responsibility...that when you get on the road, you have to act as an adult," he explained. "So being sure that you're not drinking and driving, you're not partaking in any of their substances that will cause your abilities to be impaired."

Overall, whether it's you driving or a friend, if you feel like someones driving ability has been impacted negatively, its best to just not drive at all. Solutions can be getting another friend to drive you home, calling a ride share or just staying home as its not worth risking your life or anyone else's life.

"It starts with the tough conversations and it really boils down to being responsible on roadways and being responsible for your life and everyone else's life that you have at your fingertips when you're behind the wheel," Howard said.

AAA advises parents to talk with teens early about dangerous driving behaviors and to lead by example.

For more information on teen driving tips, click here or here.