The news of the recent car crash in northwest Oregon that killed four Washington teenagers and critically injured a fifth is the second tragic story of a fatal crash involving teen drivers in recent months.

These crashes are a terrible reminder that summer is the time of year when teens have the greatest chance of being involved in a fatal crash.

“The long days of summer mean young drivers spend more time behind the wheel, which increases their chance of a serious motor vehicle crash,” said Dave Overstreet, director of public affairs for AAA Washington.

“Combining more hours behind the wheel with a lack of driving experience can be a recipe for disaster.”

In Washington, licensed drivers between 16- and 19-years-old make up just five percent of drivers, but are responsible for eleven percent of all motor vehicle crashes.

“Teens are easily distracted and falsely believe that nothing bad will happen to them,” Overstreet said. “This is a good time of the year for parents to sit down with their teen drivers and remind them of the dire consequences of driving with distractions or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. It’s also a good time to establish a parent and teen driving contract.”

AAA urges parents to take the time to supervise their novice drivers, and for teens to be safe and responsible while operating a motor vehicle. Parents should always know where their teens are going in their vehicles and should talk to them about potential dangers, such as the presence of additional passengers and availability of alcohol at summer gatherings.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drivers between 15 and 20 are more often involved in alcohol-related crashes than any other age group.

AAA also urges parents to remind their young drivers about Washington’s teen driving restrictions.

“The state’s Intermediate Driver License (IDL) law is designed to help teens stay safe while they gain valuable driving experience,” Overstreet said.

Washington’s IDL law prohibits those under age 18 from driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., unless they are accompanied by a parent, guardian or licensed driver who is at least 25 years old.

As for passenger restrictions, drivers under 18 may not carry any non-family passengers under age 20 for the first six months of licensure, and no more than three non-family passengers under age 20 after holding an IDL license for six months.

It is illegal to talk on a hand-held cell phone, or to text message, while driving in Washington.