CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Governor’s Highway Safety Program is encouraging young people to “Drive Safely Through the Prom and
Graduation Season.”
Approximately 300 teens have died in alcohol-related traffic crashes during prom weekends over the past several years, according to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).
The GHSP says talking on a cell phone can double the likelihood of a crash as well as slow a young driver’s reaction time
down to that of a 70-year-old.
In the U.S., the fatal crash rate per mile driven for the 16 to 19-year-olds is nearly three times the rate for
drivers ages 20 and over.
Statistics show that roughly one-third of alcohol-related teen traffic fatalities occur between April and June, the peak of prom and graduation season.
