KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — As graduations across East Tennessee get underway over the next couple of weeks, law enforcement officials in the area are reminding teen drivers and parents of the rules of the road.

Scott Erland, the spokesperson for the Knoxville Police Department, shared that less mature drivers are more prone to some bad roadway habits.

“You obviously spend more time being distracted with their phones and also generally might be driving around with their friends and then those cause their own inherent distractions when you’ve got more people in the car,” began Erland.

Erland emphasized driving is the most dangerous activity many adults do every day and that it requires 100% of a person’s attention.

“If you take a bit of your attention off the road, for even the shortest amount of time, those consequences can be really, really serious,” said Erland.

He also spoke about the rules of the road, saying they’re there for a reason.

“Keep those speeds below the speed limit or at the speed limit, those speed limits exist for a reason, those rules of the road exist for a reason,” he said. “They’re not to be punitive, they’re to keep everybody safe on the road.”

Erland also said it’s important parents review safety guidelines and talk about the consequences of poor driving decisions before summer vacation gets underway.

“The most important thing is we go into the summer is for parents to be talking to their kids and really paying attention to how their kids are driving and who they’re traveling around with,” he said.

The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day are often referred to as the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” when the average number of deadly teen driver crashes climbs dramatically.