The Heightened Risk of Car Accidents During the Holidays
In Alabama in 2021, there was a traffic crash every 3 minutes and 27 seconds. That same year, 986 people lost their lives in 887 fatal crashes. Speeding, driving distracted, drugs and alcohol, not wearing your seat belt – all of these are significant contributors to car accidents.
Those numbers increase during the holidays. Defined as the time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, the holidays seem to have more people on the roadways and more car crash fatalities.
AAA reports Thanksgiving ranks as the most dangerous holiday on our roads. That warning is echoed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which also reports increased car crash fatalities during the holidays.
Considering all major holidays such as the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas/New Year’s, the holidays have consistently seen a spike in fatal crashes in the more than 40 years statistics have been gathered.
The National Safety Council estimates average traffic deaths nationwide during the Thanksgiving weekend are between 439 and 580.
Besides Thanksgiving, Christmas also sees a spike in the rate of fatalities in car accidents.
Sunday night, drivers need to put the pedal to the metal to get home for work Monday morning.
For several reasons, we see a heightened risk of car accidents during the holidays.
Holiday Driving Risks
This past Thanksgiving, with daylight savings, it got dark earlier. That means driving home Sunday night in the dark since it begins to get dark at 5 pm.
A study by the University of Alabama says night driving is a risk that adds to the potential for a fatal crash. The study says during Thanksgiving, fatal crashes increase by 70 percent, primarily because it’s dark.
Other driving risks include:
* Drinking and Driving – The study found 543 alcohol-related car crashes when they surveyed data from five years of Thanksgiving accidents. Even driving buzzed can slow reaction times and make you sleepy. Combine less visibility with alcohol, and you are heightening the risk of a serious accident.
* Driving Tired and Stressed – Not only alcohol but driving tired and stressed out all contribute to car crashes.
* Failing to Wear a Seatbelt – People killed on Alabama roads are more likely to be unrestrained. A collision makes the human body into a projectile and can easily throw you out of the vehicle where you are stopped by your head colliding with a stationary object.
*An Increase in Traffic – Roads see extra traffic during the holidays, not just due to get-togethers but also because more people are out shopping for gifts and running errands.
*Avoid distracted driving – That includes using your cell phone and texting.
* Weather Conditions – Winter driving adds a component of slippery roads from snow, ice, sleet, and even rain. Low visibility contributes to holiday car crashes or multi-car collisions, especially at night.
According to the University of Alabama, hydroplaning is a problem in the South. Hydroplaning can cause a driver to lose control when rain mixes with oil already on the road, and the driver is skimming on the road’s surface. AAA urges drivers never to use cruise control during rainy weather.
AAA encourages you to avoid travel during the peak hours over the holidays and avoid late-night driving.
Your Alabama Car Crash Attorney
Attorney J. Allan Brown understands the evidence he will need to make your strong, convincing case. Whether negotiating with the insurance provider for the at-fault party or taking your case to trial, Mr. Brown has experience after years of dealing with a wide variety of cases.
After a car accident, the insurance company may offer you a small settlement. That is intended to make you go away.
Let attorney Brown represent your interests before the other side to maximize your car accident claim. He understands what your claim is worth to the other side, even though they may not offer you that amount.
Call us at (251) 473-6691 or message us online for a free, no-obligation consultation and case assessment.
Sources:
U of AL
https://awi.ua.edu/news/ua-researchers-find-hydroplaning-risks-greater-in-southern-us/
NHTSA
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812823
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