DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Summer means more free time for teenagers, but before they hit the road, parents are encouraged to have a discussion with them on safety.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said, “You know, to get a phone call or have somebody come and knock on your door, you know, there’s really no greater fear on earth, especially when your kids are new at the wheel.”

The “100 Deadliest Days” runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, which takes up 27 percent of the year, but accounts for more than 30 percent of teen-related fatal crashes nationwide.

Teenagers are more likely to be in a crash than an adult for many reasons but boils down to one: experience.

Dayton Ohio State Highway Patrol Post Lieutenant Commander Dallas Root said, “A young driver behind the wheel that has that lack of experience and knowledge of driving and dealing with complex, you know, scenarios while they’re driving. They’re also more willing to take risks.”

In fatal teen-related crashes, drunk driving, speed, and distractions are the most common major factors found.

Root said, “To a law enforcement officer, we don’t know if that person’s impaired or if they’re distracted. Now, that’s that’s how bad it’s getting.”

Experts recommend parents discuss the importance of safety and the consequences on the road.

Kara Hitchens, AAA Public Affairs Manager, said, “It should be able to, you know, enforce those type of behavior and make sure that, you know, their teenagers are driving safely and the consequences behind it if they’re not.”

Parents should also be a good influence on their children.

Streck said, “We need to make sure that we’re not driving around looking at our cell phones. You know, while our kids are in the back watching what we’re doing.

Another contributing factor is the number of passengers in the vehicle. According to the NHTSA, teens are 3 times more likely to engage in risky driving when there are multiple passengers in the car.

The Living Dayton team also got the chance to speak with AAA. Check out the interview in the video player below: