AAA: Teen-related fatal crashes in state 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 did say 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 sixmonth 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 are 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. Eightfive percent of those crashes involved another motor vehicle or a non-motorist, such as a pedestrian or bicyclist.

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