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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
As Record Memorial Day Road Travel and 100 Deadliest Days of Summer Begin, Advocates Urges States to Enact Proven Safety Laws
(Washington, D.C. | May 20, 2026) – As millions of Americans prepare to hit the road for the unofficial start of summer, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) is calling on state lawmakers to act on proven solutions that prevent motor vehicle crashes, deaths and injuries. AAA projects that over 39 million Americans will travel by car at least 50 miles from home this Memorial Day weekend, from Thursday, May 21 through Monday, May 25. Driving is expected to account for 87 percent of all Memorial Day travel.
This weekend also marks the start of the “100 Deadliest Days,” the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when crash risks rise, especially for teen drivers. Teen drivers face elevated risks due to inexperience and a tendency to take greater risks. Research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that teen drivers aged 16 to 19 have a fatal crash rate nearly three times as high as drivers ages 20 and older per mile driven. Comprehensive graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs introduce teens to the driving experience gradually by phasing in full driving privileges over time and risk settings. These programs have been effective in reducing teen crash deaths and should be improved in every state as demonstrated in our Roadmap to Safety report.
“As families and friends take to the roads this Memorial Day weekend, the need for action could not be clearer. Speeding, impairment, distraction, lack of seat belt use and inadequate teen driving laws continue to put people at needless risk, especially during the dangerous summer driving season,” said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. “Putting the pedal to the medal to get to a picnic a little quicker; having one more drink before you hit the road; sending just one quick text while you drive; not buckling up; and, letting a car full of teenagers pile in with an unexperienced driver are all recipes for disaster. We urge elected officials throughout the country to improve highway safety laws, and we urge all road users to put safety first and foremost.”
State Safety Checklist: Proven Laws to Combat Leading Crash Risks
Advocates urges every state to enact the optimal traffic safety laws and provisions outlined in our Roadmap to Safety report, including:
Increase Seat Belt Use and Motorcycle Rider Protection
- Enact all-occupant, primary enforcement seat belt laws.
- Require all motorcycle riders to wear a helmet that meets U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) standards.
Strengthen Child Passenger Safety Provisions
- Require children to ride in child safety seats rear-facing through age two or older.
- Strengthen booster seat laws so children use booster seats until they can properly fit in an adult seat belt.
- Require children age 12 and younger to be properly restrained in a rear seat.
Set Standards for Teen and Young Adult Novice Drivers
- Set a minimum age of 16 for a learner’s permit and 17 for an unrestricted license.
- Require at least 70 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel training.
- Prohibit unsupervised teen driving beginning at 8 p.m.
- Prohibit non-family teen passengers from riding with teen drivers without adult supervision.
- Ban all cell phone use by novice teen drivers during the full GDL period.
Prevent Impaired Driving
- Require ignition interlock devices for all convicted drunk driving offenders.
- Enact open container laws that meet federal requirements.
Reduce Distracted Driving
- Prohibit all drivers from writing, sending or reading text messages from handheld or electronic devices, except in emergencies.
- Go further by expanding distracted driving laws to prohibit watching or recording videos or using a phone for live video calls.
Curb Speeding and Red-Light Running
- Permit and use automated speed safety cameras.
- Permit and use automated red-light safety cameras.
- Go further by enacting intelligent speed assistance (ISA) programs for “Super Speeders.”
Advocates’ 2026 Roadmap to Safety notes that speeding, impairment, distraction and lack of seat belt use continue to be major contributors to crashes, while state traffic safety laws backed by consistent, clear and fair enforcement have been shown to deter dangerous driving and save lives.
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About Advocates
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, medical, public health, law enforcement and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to make America’s roads safer. Advocates’ mission is the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that prevent motor vehicle crashes, save lives, reduce injuries, and contain costs.