BUFFALO, N.Y. — We're in the time period known by some as the "100 deadliest days" on the road for teen drivers.
Those 100 days, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, are nationally known as the most dangerous time for teen drivers. Data from AAA and several law enforcement agencies show that deadly teen crashes increase dramatically between the two holidays.
In 2021, 900 people were killed nationwide in teen-driver related summertime crashes. That number represents a 25 percent increase over previous years.
"With cell phones, and GPS, and info-tainment systems present in almost every vehicle, the temptation to look away from the road is constant," Chief Timothy Carney of the Erie County Sheriff's Office said during a Thursday news conference, warning people of dangers on the road.
"In 2023, approximately 10 percent of the crashes investigated by the Erie County Sheriff's Office Crash Investigation Unit were due to distracted driving and attention. Those are the most serious crashes that we investigate. Unfortunately, these statistics are moving in the wrong direction."
AAA meanwhile, expects 43.8 million total Americans to travel 50 miles or more from home during the holiday weekend, which would be the highest number since 2005.