Kailee Mills Foundation urges parents and their teen drivers to survive the ‘100 Deadliest Days’

THE WOODLANDS, TX – According to official statistics provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – more than approximately 4,000 people die each year on Texas Roads. The Texas Department of Transportation points out that the Lone Star State has averaged at least one death on its roads per day since November of 2000.

One time period of note each year for the fatality rate of teen drivers each year in Texas is the period between Memorial Day in May and Labor Day in September – otherwise known as the ‘100 Deadliest Days of Driving.’ Statistically, teen deaths due to auto accidents spike throughout this four-month period.

The Kailee Mills Foundation, a nationally recognized, locally based nonprofit organization that promotes safe driving and seatbelt-use awareness, has a vested interest in quickly, consistently, and permanently bringing these numbers down. The foundation was started by the parents of local teen student Kailee Mills, who died in an October, 2017 auto accident after removing her seatbelt to take a photo.

Since the foundation’s inception, it has provided assistance to 358,000 families and has awarded more than $106,000 in scholarships. Through its 380-plus seat belt awareness events and its programs presented in schools and communities, nearly 43 million people have been reached.

“According to reports, fatal car accidents are more likely to occur during the ‘100 deadliest days of driving.’ Many of these are often attributed to increased travel and distracted driving, as well as an increase in the number of inexperienced drivers on the road,” said Briana McCulloch, Executive Director of the Kailee Mills Foundation. “In the United States alone, there are more than 2,000 crashes that involve teenage drivers every year, and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 90 percent of teen crash fatalities were not buckled up. By promoting safety and responsible driving by wearing a seat belt, the Kailee Mills Foundation strives to reduce the number of deaths during 100 Deadliest Days’ through the implementation of programs that promote safe and responsible driving.”

Teens are at extra risk for perishing as a driver or passenger due to numerous factors – lack of experience, easy distraction, even the youthful sense of adventure and immortality play critical roles. More than 30 percent of fatal car crashes with a teen driver cite speeding as a contributing factor, with 10 percent of teen-driving accidents involving distracted driving. They are six times more likely to crash when dialing a phone while driving and more than 20 times more likely to crash when texting while driving. The chances of a teen driver engaging in risky driving behavior increases with each passenger in the car.

McCulloch and the staff at the foundation encourage parents to discuss the statistics of unsafe teen driving, and to monitor the driving habits of their kids. Learn crucial tips and facts at www.kaileemillsfoundation.org.

“Kailee’s story really resonates with teens. If we are able to spare families from losing a child through our school programs, that is the greatest success of all,” she said.