Fayetteville police advocate safety ahead of ‘100 deadliest days’
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Summer is about to be in full swing, and that also means the start of the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers.
The Fayetteville Police Department will be increasing patrols for the Memorial Day weekend. Sgt. Stephen Mauk with the department says there are some things you can do to make your travel experience safer.
“That’s leaving sooner. Being patient. Kind of just planning ahead, obviously wearing seatbelts and obviously not drinking and driving,” said Mauk.
Driving Academy of NWA talks teen driving risks ahead of ‘100 deadliest days’
The days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are considered the deadliest days for teen drivers since school is not in session.
“Same advice applies to them as well. But I would add to other drivers just being aware that there could be an increase of inexperienced drivers out on the road,” said Mauk.
According to AAA, Arkansas ranks as the third worst state in the country when it comes to teen crashes. In 2022 there was a total of 52 deaths contributed to fatal teen-driver crashes. Mauk says most car accidents in Fayetteville are attributed to low reaction time.
Probably one of the most frequently encountered accidents we work is somebody running into the back end of the vehicle in front of them,” said Mauk.
Mauk says distracted driving is a real problem, especially with younger drivers.
“They get that text message. They get the alert, the flag, the notification, and it takes their attention off of what they should be doing, which is watching the roadway,” said Mauk.
Mauk, along with the Arkansas Department of Transportation, urge travelers to be careful this holiday weekend.
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