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Editorial
Memorial Day starts 100 days of driving danger
Thursday, May 22, 2014
We're all looking forward to Memorial Day, the traditional first day of summer, a time to remember those who have sacrificed their all for us, a day to spend extra time with family and friends.
But not everyone is looking forward to a good time. Officials know that Memorial Day is also the start of the 100 most dangerous days for teen drivers.
Triple A Nebraska is reminding parents and young drivers just how dangerous the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day area.
Nationwide, an average of 261 teens die in traffic crashes during each of the summer months, a 26 percent increase compared to the rest of the year.
Over the course of five years, AAA Nebraska reports, nearly 4,000 teen drivers and passengers between 13 and 19 years old died in traffic crashes between Memorial Day and Labor Day, making this period the deadliest season for teens.
Teen passengers can be a distraction for novice teen drivers and contribute to teens taking unnecessary risks behind the wheel. Teens have the highest crash rate of any age group -- drivers ages 16 and 17 are involved in about seven times as many crashes per mile driven compared to drivers in their 40s, 50s and 60s.
Of special concern to Southwest Nebraska residents, Nebraska has experienced an alarming upswing in deaths on county roads in rural areas.
From Jan. 1 to May 20 of this year, 24 people have died on county roads, an increase of 71 percent over the previous year.
The Nebraska State Patrol is doing its part, conducting the seventh annual "100 Days of Summer" initiative with at least one traffic safety enforcement operation somewhere in the state each day.
"The concept is simple," said Col. David Sankey, superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. "On our website we provide a link to some of our special enforcement activities; in turn, we ask motorists to do their part by complying with all traffic safety laws."
Check out www.statepatrol.nebraska.gov and click on the NSP Enforcement Activities link beneath the state map on the NSP homepage to access an enforcement calendar.
Besides staying sober and avoiding distractions such as texting, the best thing drivers can do to stay safe is to wear your safety belt.
A review of fatal car crashes on Nebraska roadways from 1993 through 2012 shows that 74 percent of the vehicle occupants who died were not using their seat belts.