Study: Deadliest Hotspots for Teen Crashes on New Year’s Holiday

Some have called New Year’s Eve “amateur hour” on the roads. That couldn’t be more true for teen drivers, who, even if they haven’t been drinking, lack experience behind the wheel.

A recent study by Allstate says that among the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas (a central city and its surrounding counties), the deadliest hotspot for fatal teen crashes for New Year’s Even and New Year’s Day is Jacksonville, Fla.

Other hotspots include: Columbus, Ohio; Richmond, Va.; Birmingham, Ala.; Orlando; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Philadelphia;
Sacramento, Calif.; and St. Louis.

The Allstate Holiday Teen Driving Hotspots study found that each of the 10 deadliest hotspots has had the highest fatal crash rates for teen drivers over the New Year’s holiday over the past eight years.

Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of American teens. More than 5,000 teens die on American roads every year, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The Holiday Teen Driving Hotspots study examines recent federal crash statistics, Allstate claims data on teen collisions, and U.S. Census Bureau statistics to score metro areas across the nation on rates of fatal crashes involving teen drivers during the holidays. The study was conducted by Allstate in conjunction with Sperling’s BestPlaces www.bestplaces.net, a Portland, Ore., research firm specializing in demographic studies and analysis.

Allstate’s national Home for the Holidays public awareness and policy campaign focuses on encouraging parents to have the safe driving talk with their teens this holiday season. The perfect way to help make that conversation happen is by using a Parent-Teen Driving Contract, which helps families lay out expectations for smart driving decisions and consequences if those expectations are not met.

It’s the most important gift a parent and teen can give one another this holiday season. It’s a conversation and a promise. And best of all, it’s free.

Allstate encourages parents and teens to download the contract from www.allstate.com/teen and discuss the importance of safe driving. By signing the contract, parents can help ensure their teens return home safely this holiday season.

“Nothing kills more American teens each year than car crashes. That’s why the safe driving talk needs to be something every parent has with their teens,” said Vicky Dinges, assistant vice president of Public Social Responsibility for Allstate.

Source: Allstate