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The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer: What Parents Should Know About Teen Driving Risks in Ohio

Posted in Accident & Injury, Automobile, Car Accident, In the news on May 29, 2025

100 Deadliest Days Ohio

The stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day is often referred to as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer for teen drivers. During these months, fatal crashes involving teens consistently spike, especially here in Ohio.

Why is summer so dangerous for teen drivers?

With school out, teens are on the road more often, with little experience, more distractions, and fewer limits. The result? A spike in crashes that makes summer the deadliest season to drive as a teen.

2024 Crash Data: A Closer Look at the Risks

According to data from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio State Highway Patrol:

  • 97 fatal crashes involved teen drivers in 2024
  • 70% were caused by the teen driver
  • 51% of those drivers had their license for a year or less
  • 34% had received no formal driver education
  • 25% of at-fault crashes were drug-related
  • 58% of people killed in these crashes were not the teen driver
  • 81% of at-fault teen drivers were male
  • Nearly half were single-vehicle crashes

While Ohio saw a 20% decrease in at-fault teen driver crashes compared to 2023, the dangers remain real, especially for inexperienced drivers on the road during summer.

A New Push to Empower Parents

In response to these trends, a new campaign from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office encourages parents to take a more active role in teaching their teens to drive. The message: just like sports, music, or school activities, learning to drive takes time, effort, and commitment.

Ohio law requires teens to log 50 hours of supervised driving practice with a parent or legal guardian before earning a probationary license. But state officials say many families don’t meet this threshold or don’t realize how much guidance new drivers actually need.

The Ohio Traffic Safety Office now offers free tools at TeachYourTeenToDrive.ohio.gov, including:

  • A coaching guide for parents
  • Educational videos
  • A free online parent course
  • Information about free advanced driver training events happening this summer

Bottom Line

During the 100 Deadliest Days, safe driving doesn’t just depend on teens. It depends on the adults helping to train them. By committing time to hands-on driving practice and staying involved, parents can play a key role in preventing crashes and saving lives.