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'Watch our children as they come down the road': Teen driver accidents increase in summer

The "100 deadliest days" for teen drivers start in summer and AAA predicts the road to be more dangerous.

MACON, Ga. — It's nearly summertime, and that means more people on the road because of increased travel. However, that can add danger to new drivers who just got their license.

Madaline McCoy just got finished driving school at Georgia Driving School and got her driver's license. She's excited to have the freedom but is worried about the "100 deadly days."

"Makes me a little bit nervous just because it means I need to be a lot more cautious and not get cocky," McCoy said.

AAA says Memorial Day to Labor Day are the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. They say on average 2,063 teen drivers nationwide are involved in fatal crashes. 642 of them happened during the 100 deadliest days.

Brian Plotner is the owner of Georgia Driving School. He says staying alert while driving is important.

"We just need to be careful and watch our children as they come down the road as new drivers," Plotner said.

McCoy says after her parents helped her, she was more comfortable driving on the highway.

"Listen to adults because that are trying to help you because they know more than you do," McCoy.

AAA recommends that parents talk with their teens early about the dangers of speeding, distracted driving and modeling good driving behaviors while behind the wheel. They also recommends parents conduct at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving with their teenager. 

Teenagers can stay safe behind the wheel by turning on "Do Not Disturb" on their phone, limit the number of passengers in their car, and not driving if they are tired or under the influence.

While McCoy may be new to the road she says, "Don't mess with the radio. Don't mess with anything. Keep your eyes on the road."

AAA has a list of resources on their website teen drivers can use when starting to drive and how they can develop safe driving habits.

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