Well, no.

Spring is beautiful, a welcome relief for us in the Midwest. But spring driving has its own set of accident triggers. So, as you hit the roads, keep these in mind and stay safe:

• Increased construction: The joke is old, but remember there are two seasons up here, winter and construction. It really is true. Lots of major construction projects have to be delayed until the warmer weather. Construction causes detours, lane closures and stop and go traffic, increasing the possibilities not only of accidents but of longer commutes. The latest long term construction project is blocking access from the northbound Lodge Freeway to westbound I-94. Remember to check the MDOT website about construction details.
• Wet roads: Despite the absence of snow and sleet, we are moving into the rainiest months of the year (the rainiest is actually June). With rain comes decreased visibility, longer braking times and more collisions. Keep your distance from other drivers during rainy times and be alert.
• Teen drivers: Late spring and summer are the most dangerous times for teen drivers. They are on the roads more and in school less. They pose a hazard to themselves and others. Teens are particularly vulnerable when they are passengers in the back seats, as they often don’t put on seatbelts back there. Be aware of teens on the road and coach the teens in your life about the best ways to stay safe on the road. Read our blog about teen summer safety here.
• Deer: More deer-auto collisions happen in the fall, but they happen in springtime, too, as younger deer wander into roads and their skittish mothers often stay behind. Deer are most active at dusk and dawn, but the deadliest crashes occur at nighttime when visibility is poorest. Be aware of deer population all over Ohio and Michigan, particularly in Oakland County (where they are in residential areas, not just rural ones). Scan the sides of roadways as you drive, take down your speed and remember if you see one deer, you will likely see more. Read about sharing the road with deer here.
• Distracted Driving: The greatest danger to driving is being distracted by your phone, your music, your passengers, your Big Mac, and your make-up. Driving is not the time to multi-task. Stay focused on the road and on your safety and the safety of those around you. Everything else can wait until you get to your destination.

Enjoy the spring, send us your beautiful pictures from the road, including the deer and please keep your eyes in front of you!

We urge you to consider the following aspects of a vehicle as you help your young adult make this decision:

Safety: Don’t scrimp on safety components. If you can afford camera-assisted parking, go for it. OnStar is a wonderful resource for teen drivers as it gives them a feeling of safety and security that they won’t be abandoned or lost. Be sure all safety equipment is in tip top shape, like airbags, seatbelts, brake systems and tires and their components.

Size: Teens are relatively inexperienced drivers. As a result, they need a vehicle that is just right: not too big and not too small. New drivers are safest in mid-size vehicles, so avoid a small sports car or Smart car as they have higher injury and fatality rates in collisions. On the other hand, a large pickup truck or SUV is not the best choice for a 16 or 17 year-old, who may not have the ability to handle these bigger vehicles in all situations. In Michigan, 16 year-olds are limited as to how many passengers they can transport, but those limitations end at 17. In order to keep the number of passengers down and therefore reduce distractions inside the car, eliminating a third row of seating is a great idea, which nixes minivans and SUV’s.

Maintenance Issues: It is tempting to pass down a pretty dinged up car to a teen driver. Young drivers do represent more than their fair share of fender benders. It’s one thing for the car to be a little “seasoned”. It’s another for the car to be in need of constant repairs or, much worse for a new driver, undependable. Sometimes, a two year lease is actually a great decision for a young driver, as all maintenance is typically covered and the car returns to the dealership around the time the teen goes off to college. (Many universities do not give out parking permits to freshmen, although community and commuter colleges are the exceptions.)

Car purchases are expensive decisions. It is important to really consider the specific needs of teens when embarking on this exciting, but potentially dangerous, rite of passage.

You might wonder what the leading cause of teen deaths in motor vehicles is. An easy guess would be texting and distracted driving and indeed they do contribute to a high proportion of motor vehicles and injuries. Alcohol use also plays a large role in teen accidents, but it also is not the major culprit. Of course, inexperience is also a key factor in teen accidents.

Shockingly, the leading cause of teen deaths from vehicle accidents is a problem older than cell phones:

50% of teens who are killed in car accidents were not wearing their seatbelts.

This statistic has been confirmed by not only Safe Kids Worldwide but also the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

There seems to be a higher percentage of teen drivers who wear seatbelts as opposed to teen riders who wear seatbelts. Because of warning bells and high fine tickets for not being belted in, most teen drivers are belted and the numbers of teen driver fatalities have dropped significantly.

It’s a different story with teen riders. In a General Motors’ sponsored survey, 25% of teen riders admitted to not regularly buckling up, especially in the back seat. In the state of Michigan, all passengers in the front seat must be buckled up. However, in the back seat, only those passengers who are 15 or under are required by law to be buckled up or in a child safety seat. Added to this is the neurological and psychological development of teenagers. They tend to be impulsive (because of their biological brain development, not because of a character flaw) and they also have an exaggerated sense of invincibility. As these components come into play, amidst a lack of peer pressure to buckle up, the likelihood of unrestrained teen riders increases.

So, we see a paradox. Teen drivers have become more compliant with the usage of seat belts and their fatalities have decreased. But, teen rider fatality statistics are in fact unchanged.

As parents, you can help the teens in your life survive the 100 Deadliest Days with frank talk about these statistics and more importantly by modeling safe driving and riding. Show your kids that you mean what you say and buckle up in the driver seat, in the passenger seat, in the front and in the back.