Nearly 43,000 people die each year in car accidents. If you’re hoping not to be part of this grim number, you’ll need to be mindful when you’re driving. That means making plans to stay off the roads on notably more dangerous days to avoid a deadly car accident.
Read on to learn about the ten deadliest days of the year to be driving on the road!
1. Fourth of July
When the weather’s nice in the middle of the summer, families and friends gather for barbecues and parties. There’s a good chance these celebrations will include plenty of drinking. And when the days are long, there won’t be a clear cut-off point for anyone enjoying too many drinks.
Additionally, with fireworks lighting up the sky, it’s easy for drivers to get distracted and cause a car accident. Make sure your youngest drivers know that they’ll need to be extra alert if they are on the roads. But, if possible, take the night off from driving to stay home and celebrate.
2. New Year’s Day
On the first day of the year, you can expect plenty of partying. And much of it occurs in the earliest hours of the day right around the time the clock ticks over to the new year. That leads to motor vehicle accidents that can jeopardize your safety on the roads.
You’d be wise to stay off the roads in the wee hours of New Year’s Day. But if you’re able to stay home during the entire holiday, that’s even better.
3. Memorial Day
When it comes to risky days to drive, Memorial Day weekend has three of them. This holiday kickstarts summer. Consequently, lots of people are on the roads driving to vacations and family gatherings.
More traffic means more opportunities for accidents that can leave you with a damaged car or injury. And if the weather’s nice or you’re in a desirable vacation destination, there might be a better chance of encountering inebriated drivers.
4. Labor Day
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the holidays bookending summer are ripe for partying. And Labor Day marks the other side of the celebrations. For many, the holiday is summer’s last hurrah, meaning it’s time to pack a punch with the partying.
With over 80% of the country traveling during the summer months, you can anticipate a lot of traffic on the roads. Plus, with crowded roads, it’s easier for people to feel like driving aggressively or get hot-tempered. That’s why you’ll want to drive cautiously and allow time for delays if you do decide to hit the roads.
5. Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve can be a tricky time for drivers. For starters, there’s always the potential for bad weather conditions that cause slick roads if people are traveling to northern climates. But the problems don’t end there.
Tight schedules and the usual holiday stressors can make driving more dangerous. People will be en route to see family and friends for celebrations the next day. Long road trips can translate to sleepy drivers who shouldn’t be behind the wheel.
People might be speeding, too, if they’re in a hurry to get last-minute gifts. Even driving locally around malls and other shops can present dangers. Try to stay home to steer clear of these driving safety challenges.
6. The Summer Solstice
The longest day of the year, the summer solstice, also happens to be a bad one for driving safety. With extended hours and the notoriety of being the longest day, people will be staying out longer.
And they might be throwing summer solstice parties where drinking too much becomes a problem. Do yourself a favor and stay home on this day.
7. The Day to Spring Ahead
With daylight saving time comes the loss of an hour of sleep in the spring; it can take a while to recover from that lost hour of sleep. Daylight saving time also brings darker mornings that can make the morning commute tougher.
As a result, you might encounter impaired drivers. Without enough sleep, people will not be thinking clearly as they make decisions on the road.
Avoid being part of the problem by aiming to go to bed a little earlier as you approach this time of year. And think about working remotely or using public transportation in the days following the time change.
8. Thanksgiving
The Thanksgiving holiday usually comes with a long weekend – and maybe some apprehension about spending time with family. All of these factors can contribute to more drinking. And that makes staying safe on the road harder.
Especially in the second half of the day, drivers may have had too much to drink. Or they might be tired from a busy day. In any case, the chances of a car accident can go up.
9. Black Friday
The day right after Thanksgiving, Black Friday is another day to reconsider your travel plans. With everyone on the hunt for good deals and gifts, you’ll encounter plenty of frenzied drivers on the roads.
Be especially careful about letting your teen drivers hit the roads, too. They’ll need to be more vigilant. And you might want to set a curfew.
10. Halloween
Finally, try to stay off the roads on Halloween. It’s already riskier driving through neighborhoods during dusk when visibility goes down. But when you have lots of costumed children and parents outside, the danger factor increases.
You’ll have to be extra cautious since some costumes will be hard to see. Plus, not all children will be obeying traffic laws to cross the streets. If possible, stay home so you don’t contribute to a dangerous situation.
Avoid a Deadly Car Accident
Avoiding a deadly car accident boils down to practicing safe driving habits and making wise decisions. Staying off the roads during summer holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July also can keep you and others safer. And avoiding driving during holidays like Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas can help, as well.
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In short, after a car accident, you may not know your rights. Above all, don’t struggle through the process alone. Actually, our personal injury team is here to help you with any legal needs you might have regarding your accident.
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