On Thanksgiving day, millions of people travel across the U.S. hungry to reach their destination and to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast with family and friends. It’s important to note that traffic and fatalities are often extremely high on this day.
Last year, this holiday weekend had an exceedingly higher number of car accidents that resulted in death and injury. According to a news release by AAA, automobile trips remain the most common way of travel during the holidays, with approximately 94% of people reaching their destination by driving.
Keep an eye on the weather in advance of your travels in case you need to adjust your commuting schedule to avoid bad conditions. Prior to loading up the car, take one more peek at the weather just to be sure you don’t experience any issues on the road or need to postpone the trip.
If you do end up driving through hazardous conditions, slow down and buckle up. Your family and friends don’t want to spend their holiday in the hospital.
Whether you're driving 30 minutes or 10 hours, it’s important to make sure your car is ready to hit the road to avoid any delays or accidents. Check tires, windshield wipers, gas, washer fluid, radiator and cooling system, etc. These simple maintenance checks will help prevent potential problems on the road.
We can’t stress it enough, always, always, wear a seat belt while driving. This includes passengers, too, especially the little ones. Seat belts dramatically reduce the risk of death and serious injuries. According to the CDC, safety belts reduce the risk of fatal injury.
Many homes have beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverages make an appearance during the holiday celebration. If you’re the designated driver, be sure to stick to water, soda, coffee or tea to stay sober while behind the wheel.
If you have a couple drinks at the party, wait long enough so the presence of alcohol is no longer in your system and you feel safe to drive, especially if you’re leaving the party late at night.
If you need to pull over to take a break or are too tired to continue, perhaps you should consider pulling over to rest or book a hotel room.
If you plan on traveling this holiday season, please consider these safety tips. If you have additional questions or need to speak to an experienced injury law attorney, give us a call 24/7.