Memorial Day is a time to reflect and honor those who have paid the ultimate price of freedom with their lives, but it also marks the beginning of a particularly dangerous time on roadways known as the "100 Deadliest Days."
"There are summer parties that kick off and parties that conclude on Labor Day weekend," said Erin Breen with UNLV's Vulnerable Road Users Project.
Breen says there are several factors such as summer break from school, parties, drinking and distractions that combine to make the summertime so deadly.
"Some of the other things we are seeing a lot recently in our own community are people choosing not to wear a seatbelt and speeding," said Breen.
According to nationwide study conducted by AAA last year, teens are the most at risk of dying in a crash than any other age group.
Breen says a new deadly trend has emerged as more teen drivers are waiting to get their licenses.
“For a lot of kids, they don’t even begin [the process of getting a license] until they’re 18 because they don’t want to jump to the hoops that we make them jump through here in the state of Nevada," Breen said.
"So now we’re seeing 18 to 20 year olds in the same kinds of scenarios of what used to be 16 to 18 year olds because it’s not an age issue, it’s a novice driving issue," explained Breen.
One solution for new drivers is to participate in Driver's Edge. It's a free course that puts teens and new drivers behind the wheel for a hands on lesson for controlling vehicles. Click here to learn more.
