How to Avoid Summer Car Accidents

Summer brings pool days, road trips, and long evenings outdoors — but it also brings a sharp rise in traffic collisions. Nationally, August consistently ranks as one of the deadliest months on the road, and safety researchers refer to the stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” because of how dramatically the number of summer car accidents climbs, especially among teen drivers.

More people are on the highways between Wichita and Kansas City, more families are hauling boats to area lakes, and more teenagers are behind the wheel with a new license and no school schedule to keep them home. At Patterson Legal Group, our Kansas and Missouri car accident attorneys see the same pattern every year: a summer surge in car accidents that sends far too many families into our office. Here’s what’s driving that spike, and what you can do to keep your family safe on the road this season.

Why Summer Car Accidents Spike in Kansas and Missouri

A few factors combine to make summer uniquely dangerous:

• More cars on the road. Vacation travel, summer festivals, and construction detours all add traffic volume to highways like I-70, I-35, and I-135.
• More inexperienced drivers. With school out, teen drivers log significantly more hours behind the wheel, often at night and with passengers in the car.
• More impaired driving. Holiday weekends such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day see a measurable increase in alcohol-related crashes.
• Tougher conditions for vehicles. Heat accelerates tire wear and battery failure, two of the most common causes of preventable breakdowns and blowout accidents.

Understanding these risk factors is the first step. Here’s how to protect yourself and your family against each one.

The “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” and Teen Driver Safety

Safety researchers have tracked this trend for years: roughly a third of all fatal teen-driver crashes occur during the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Distraction, speeding, and extra passengers are consistently cited as the biggest contributing factors, and the risk climbs sharply with every additional teenager riding along.

If you have a new driver in your household, consider a few teen driver safety tips for summer:

• Limit passengers to one friend or family member for at least the first few months of unsupervised driving.
• Set a “phone away” rule — glove compartment or trunk, not the cupholder.
• Establish a nighttime driving curfew, since a large share of teen fatal crashes happens after dark.
• Ride along periodically, even after your teen has a license, to reinforce good habits.

Related: How to Get Your Car Ready for Summer Driving

Make Sure Your Car Is Ready for the Heat

Extreme heat is hard on vehicles, and a roadside breakdown on a Kansas highway in July is more than an inconvenience — it can turn into a serious crash if a tire fails at speed or a vehicle stalls in a travel lane. Before any long summer drive:

• Check your tire pressure and tread. Underinflated tires are far more likely to overheat and blow out on hot pavement.
• Test your battery. Heat degrades battery components faster than cold does, and a battery that survived winter can still fail in August.
• Top off fluids, especially coolant, and watch your temperature gauge on long stretches of highway.
• Pack an emergency kit — water, a flashlight, jumper cables, and a phone charger — for any road trip to the Lake of the Ozarks, Branson, or beyond.

Be Wary Around Construction Zones

Construction activity ramps up across Kansas and Missouri during the warmer months, thanks to longer daylight hours and better working conditions. Construction zones bring narrowed lanes, sudden stops, uneven surfaces, and workers on foot close to traffic. When you’re driving through or near a work zone:

• Slow down well before you reach posted construction signage.
• Watch for flaggers and be ready to stop without warning.
• Avoid lane changes once you’re inside the marked zone.
• Keep extra following distance, since traffic in work zones often stops abruptly.

Look Out for Young Drivers and Pedestrians

With school out, sidewalks and neighborhood streets see far more foot and bike traffic from kids and teens who aren’t always paying close attention to cars. At the same time, you’re sharing the road with more inexperienced drivers who may not react predictably. Give young drivers extra space, slow down in residential areas, and stay alert near parks, pools, and neighborhoods where kids are likely to dart into the street.

Distracted Driving Leads to Accidents

Distracted driving is a year-round problem, but summer adds its own temptations — group texts about weekend plans, GPS directions to an unfamiliar lake house, kids and pets moving around in the back seat. To keep your focus on the road:

• Limit mobile phone use, and never text while driving.
• Set your destination and music before you put the car in gear.
• Avoid eating, drinking, or handling loose items while driving.
• Keep music at a volume that lets you hear surrounding traffic.
• Pull over if you need to attend to kids, pets, or passengers.

Watch for Drowsy and Impaired Driving

Long road trips, late nights, and holiday celebrations all contribute to two of summer’s most dangerous risk factors: fatigue and alcohol. Drowsy driving can slow reaction time as much as driving under the influence, so plan rest stops on long trips and avoid driving through the night if you can help it. If your summer plans include drinking — at a barbecue, a lake outing, or a holiday celebration — line up a sober ride home before you start, whether that’s a designated driver or a rideshare.

Prepare for Summer Storms and Flash Flooding

Kansas and Missouri summers bring sudden severe weather, including heavy rain and flash flooding that can overwhelm roads with little warning. If you encounter high water, never attempt to drive through it — it takes surprisingly little moving water to sweep a vehicle off the road. When a storm rolls in, consider pulling off safely until visibility and road conditions improve.

Contact a Summer Car Accidents Lawyer in Kansas or Missouri

Summer should be a season your family enjoys, not one defined by a preventable crash. Following the summer road trip safety in Kansas and Missouri tips above — from securing a ride home to giving construction crews and teen drivers extra space — goes a long way toward keeping everyone on the road safe.

Even so, some accidents happen no matter how careful you are. If you or a loved one has been injured by another driver’s negligence or recklessness this summer, the Kansas and Missouri car accident attorneys at Patterson Legal Group are here to help. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Contact us today by calling (888) 687-2400, using our LiveChat service, or by submitting a secure contact form. Our team will handle your case with care while our attorneys fight to secure your maximum compensation.

The information on this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to serve as legal advice for an individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create an attorney-client relationship nor does viewing this material constitute an attorney-client relationship.