Aside from being a national holiday celebrating American independence, the 4th of July has another, much more dubious distinction: It’s the single most dangerous day on the road for drivers.
If you look at weekends instead of just the actual holiday itself, Memorial Day weekend is actually the most dangerous, although Labor Day weekend isn’t far behind.
Using statistics obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), experts did some digging and came to a conclusion that probably startles many: Summer holidays are far more dangerous to drivers than winter holidays — despite the reputation that New Year’s Eve and office Christmas parties get for being alcohol-fueled festivities.
Ultimately, all the information does is lead to speculation about why the summer holidays end up being more dangerous than the winter ones. Likely, there are several reasons:
— Good weather and good times sometimes lead people to take risks with their personal safety. They may convince themselves that the roads are dry and the skies are clear, so it’s okay to hit the road after a couple of drinks — a risk they wouldn’t dare take when it gets dark early and there is the risk of ice or snow.
— Drivers may be more distracted. If a driver is bringing his or her family home from an outing at an amusement park, a family picnic or a trip to the pool, everyone may be excited and chattering at once. That can cause a driver to take his or her attention off the road just long enough for an accident to happen.
— There are just a lot more people on the road during the summer, especially during summer weekends. More people and more cars automatically mean more accidents and more fatalities. Experts say that consumer confidence is higher, so they’re spending more on summer family vacations and traveling more.
Keep this information in mind this summer as you travel and try to stay safe — however, if you are in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence, an attorney can provide advice about the possibility of a lawsuit.
Source: www.cbsnews.com, “The deadliest holiday for car accidents,” Jerry Edgerton, May 17, 2017