USAA Advocates for Safe Driving Habits During 100 Deadliest Days of Summer for Teens

From road trips to backyard barbeques, Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of summer. The holiday weekend also marks the official start of the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer,” the period where there is a sharp increase in traffic fatalities, especially involving teen drivers. According to the CDC, teen drivers are three times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision during this period, which runs until Labor Day Weekend, compared to other times of the year [1].

This rise in traffic fatalities is the result of a myriad of factors, including distracted driving, increased traffic on the roads, more inexperienced drivers on the road, risky behavior behind the wheel, and the overall stress of vacation travel.

These factors are heightened with teen drivers, most of whom are hitting the road for the first time since school started. Whether it’s piling too many friends in the car for a summer joy ride or texting about weekend plans, these new drivers are susceptible to bad driving habits, which can lead to fatal results. According to the National Road Safety Foundation, distracted driving accounts for 60% of teen crashes — additionally, the likelihood of engaging in distracted driving triples when peers are in the car[1].

“As a parent of teen drivers, I understand firsthand the concerns families have when their kids get behind the wheel,” said Randy Termeer, USAA P&C President. “This is why USAA remains committed to providing tools like SafePilot that encourage safer driving habits. Our members count on USAA, not just for protection after an accident, but to hopefully help prevent one – that’s the real value of membership and how we serve the military community and their families.”

Data compiled from USAA’s SafePilot telematics app – which provides a driving score determined by many factors including harsh braking, phone distractions and hours driven – show the following states have the highest distraction rate for teen drivers:

1.	Mississippi		18.1%
2.	Louisiana		15.6%
3.	South Dakota		14.5%
4.	Iowa		14.2%
5.	Alabama		13.8%

Conversely, the following states have the lowest distraction rate for teen drivers, demonstrating a commitment to safe driving practices:

1.	Oregon		9.0%
2.	Washington		9.5%
3.	Connecticut		9.6%
4.	Rhode Island		9.6%
5.	Hawaii		9.7%

USAA is here to remind its members, their children and drivers across the country to take caution on the road this summer. Mitigating distractions in the car can help reduce the fatalities seen during the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer,” in the hopes that one day that term will no longer be applicable.

USAA has created the “Safe Driving Simulator,” a five-minute experience that tests drivers’ abilities to effectively navigate courses while being monitored for the most common driving mistakes, including harsh braking, speeding and more. As participants embark on the experience, distractions like loud music and phone calls pop up, providing an engaging, yet educational way to identify bad driving habits in a virtual setting and not on the road.

These behaviors mirror those measured in SafePilot, which, according to a survey conducted by the company in 2024, has effectively reduced poor driving habits in teens through real time feedback and increased awareness.

This summer, USAA will be bringing the “Safe Driving Simulator” to events at NASS/JRB Fort Worth in Texas and Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia, with more planned in the future. For more information on teen safe driving practices from USAA, visit usaa.com/advice/teen-driver-safety-tips/

About USAA

Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and retirement solutions and serves more than 14 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, USAA has offices in eight U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 38,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or X (@usaa), or visit usaa.com.

¹ The National Road Safety Foundation. (n.d.). 100 Safest Days of Summer. The National Road Safety Foundation. https://nrsf.org/100-safest-days-summer

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