The stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day has long been known as the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers—a period when fatal crashes involving young drivers historically spike. This summer, the Auto Club of Southern California is reframing that message, urging all motorists to make it the “100 Days of Safe Driving.”
As teens gain more independence behind the wheel, families travel for vacations, and celebrations bring more drivers onto the road, risks increase—but they don’t have to turn deadly. The Auto Club is calling on drivers to commit to safe habits every time they get behind the wheel.
According to AAA’s analysis of national crash data, more than 30% of fatal crashes involving teen drivers—and nearly one-third of all impaired-driving fatalities—occur during these summer months.
“The ‘100 Deadliest Days’ doesn’t have to live up to its name,” said Auto Club spokesperson Kandace Redd. “By making safer choices—putting the phone away, slowing down, buckling up, and planning ahead for a sober ride—drivers can help turn this into the ‘100 Days of Safe Driving’ and save lives.”
In 2024, the most recent year of complete data, 2,636 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver. One-third of those deaths—825 lives—were lost during the summer period between Memorial Day and Labor Day. In California that same year, 208 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver with 55 of those fatalities happening in the summer.
The Auto Club encourages teens to use the summer months to build safe driving habits by:
- Avoiding distractions, especially cell phones
- Obeying speed limits
- Always wearing a seatbelt
- Never driving impaired
Parents also play a critical role by setting expectations early and modeling safe behavior behind the wheel.
Summer celebrations and increased travel also contribute to a higher risk of impaired driving. AAA data shows that nearly one in three traffic deaths during the summer involves an impaired driver. In partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Auto Club reminds anyone planning to drink or use impairing substances to arrange a sober ride before heading out.
“No celebration is worth risking a life,” said Redd. “Whether you're going to a backyard barbecue or a weekend getaway, plan ahead for a safe ride home. That one decision can save lives.”
The Auto Club also warns against dangerous behaviors like street racing, which become more visible during the summer months when more teens are on the road. Activities such as excessive speeding, drag racing, weaving through traffic, and participating in street takeovers significantly increase the risk of deadly crashes and put entire communities at risk, including pedestrians and emergency responders.
According to a new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, only a small percentage of drivers report participating in street racing (4%) but nearly three-quarters (73%) say they’ve witnessed it. This visibility can normalize risky behavior—especially for young drivers—underscoring the need for education, awareness, and safer choices behind the wheel.
To help keep roads safe this summer, the Auto Club encourages parents and guardians to:
- Talk with teens early and often about avoiding risky behaviors such as speeding, impaired driving, distractions, and not wearing a seatbelt
- Lead by example and demonstrate safe driving habits
- Set clear rules through a parent-teen driving agreement
- Follow California’s Graduated Driver’s Licensing (GDL) laws:
- A minimum six-month learner’s permit and at least 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night)
- No driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the provisional license phase
- No passengers under age 20 during the provisional license phase