Law enforcement warns of ’100 Deadliest Days’ for teen drivers

PARAGOULD, Ark. (KAIT) -The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is known as the 100 Deadliest Days, when fatal crashes spike, especially among teen drivers.

More cars, more distractions and less experience make summer roads some of the most dangerous of the year.

The 100 Deadliest Days run from Memorial Day through Labor Day, when traffic volume surges and teen drivers are on the road more than at any other time of year.

Paragould Police Capt. Jason Elms said the biggest culprit is cell phones.

“It only takes a second for something to happen,” Elms said.

“The number one thing would be cell phones. They need to learn at an early age that this could cause major consequences that they just don’t think about,” Elms said.

Elms said law enforcement will be out in force this summer, with city police, state troopers and the sheriff’s office all increasing patrols on local highways.

He said the responsibility does not stop with the driver.

“We also push for our parents to really hone in on talking to their kids about the safeties of driving. We ask that the parents really talk to their kids about staying focused on what they’re doing, staying off the phones, and not getting distracted by whatever’s in the vehicle,” Elms said.

Diane Liles, a Jonesboro resident, said texting while driving is dangerous.

“Most teenagers think that texting while driving is okay, but it’s not. That is very, very dangerous for them,” Liles said.

Presley Halk, a Jonesboro resident, said drivers should be more careful at night.

“Be way more careful and aware at night because most kids are driving around at night and going out with their friends, that’s when people are cutting corners and not following stop signs,” Halk said.

Elms said the best thing any driver can do this summer, teen or adult, is to stay aware of what is happening around them, not just in front of them.

“Don’t be an offensive driver. Be a defensive driver. Pay attention to what’s going on around you because it could help you prevent an accident just by seeing what’s going on in your surroundings,” Elms said.

Law enforcement’s message: put the phone down, talk to your kids and remember that one quick glance away can change everything.

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