HAMDEN — In the Northeast, warmer temperatures are not the only indicator that summer is almost here — just take a look at the roads. The summer driving season brings out teens enjoying more independence behind the wheel, families taking road trips, and people getting together for celebrations. To encourage safer choices during this busy travel time, AAA is calling for 100 Days of Safe Driving between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Safer driving has the potential to make a major impact during the summer. A AAA review of national crash data found that more than 30% of fatal crashes involving teen drivers and nearly one-third of all impaired-driving fatalities occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Lauren Fabrizi, spokesperson for AAA Northeast, said, “Summer is full of chances to make memories, travel, and enjoy time with family and friends, but a safe return home is the most important part of any summer trip or celebration.” Fabrizi added, “A singular decision behind the wheel can be life changing. This summer and beyond, we implore drivers to make sure their decisions help save lives — not risk them.”

Teen Drivers

Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes compared to adult drivers, mainly because of inexperience behind the wheel, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In 2024, the most recent year of complete crash data, 2,636 people were killed in crashes involving a teen driver and nearly a third of those deaths occurred between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

That trend continued locally: In Connecticut, there were 126 fatal crashes involving teen drivers (ages 16 to 19) from 2021 to 2025, with nearly a third of those crashes occurring from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository.

AAA encourages teens to use the summer months as an opportunity to build safe driving habits by buckling up, obeying speed limits, limiting distractions, getting enough sleep, and always driving sober. Parents also play an important role by setting expectations early and modeling safe behavior behind the wheel.

Impaired Driving

Summer celebrations, beach days, and vacations can also lead to an increase in impaired driving. AAA’s crash data analysis found that nearly one in three summertime traffic deaths involved an impaired driver.

In Connecticut, from 2021 to 2025, there were 444 fatal crashes from Memorial Day to Labor Day, according to the Connecticut Crash Data Repository. Nearly 32% of those crashes involved an impaired driver.

AAA, in partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, reminds anyone who plans to drink or use impairing substances to plan for a sober ride before going out.