Teen-related fatal crashes more than doubled

The number of teen-related fatal crashes in Connecticut during the first half of 2020 more than doubled compared to the same period last year, according to AAA Northeast.

The data from the UConn Crash Data Repository found 15 fatal crashes involving teens between January and June 2020 compared to seven during the same period in 2019.

The spike in fatal accidents involving teens came during the peak of coronavirus pandemic, but Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokeswoman, said the data did provide a reason for the steep increase.

She said the number of all crashes were down during the first half of the year because fewer people were driving during the pandemic. Compared to the same six-month period in 2019, when there was 54,245 motor-vehicle crashes, this year there have been 37,732.

Yet the number of fatal accidents from January through June increased from 98 in 2019 to 122 this year.

“The number of fatals is up because those folks who are driving are speeding and going faster than the speed limit,” Mayko said.

“I suspect they feel they can speed because there’s no congestion on roadways – nothing to hinder their travel.”

The UConn data shows in 2019 teen drivers in Connecticut were involved in more than 11,700 crashes – equivalent to one crash every 45 minutes – with Friday the most common day of incidents.

Eight-five percent of those crashes involved another motor vehicle or a non-motorist, such as a pedestrian or bicyclist.

A total of 25 fatal teen driverrelated crashes occurred in 2019, up from 22 in 2018.

AAA released the data Tuesday to mark National Teen Driver Safety Week this week, to encourage parents and guardians to focus on safe driving with their driving rookies.

“Parents play a vital role in communicating safety information,” Mayko said. “And they certainly hold the key to a teen driver’s success behind the wheel.”

That includes modeling appropriate behavior behind the wheel and complying with graduated drivers licensing laws, which allow teens to gradually learn the rules of the road under less risky conditions.

Speeding, driving distracted, driving with other teen passengers and driving impaired are considered risky behind-thewheel behavior by teens.

“Teens don’t have a monopoly on bad driving habits, but risky behavior is especially dangerous when combined with a teen’s inexperience,” said Mayko.

Despite these deadly statistics, there is some good news.

According to the Centers for Disease Control’s 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Connecticut high school students rank below or the same as the national averages for risky behaviors.

In that survey, 32 percent of Connecticut teen drivers said they texted or used email while driving. Fourteen percent said they rode with a driver who drank alcohol, and 6 percent said they drove after drinking alcohol. Six percent said they they rarely used a seat belt.

AAA Northeast also offers resources for parents to prepare teens with safe driving habits at teendriving.aaa.com.