With this holiday season that we are currently enjoying, there are so many things to look forward to. Family coming into town to visit, big feasts, Christmas lights, gift exchanges, and more. While the holidays are a time of cheer and joy, giving and serving, laughing and merriment, there is one thing to definitely watch out for during the holiday season: holiday auto accidents.
Most states see a rise of accidents during the holiday season. Starting with Thanksgiving, and then moving on to Christmas and New Year’s Eve we always see an increase in accidents. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported that Thanksgiving day is the most dangerous & most deadly holiday for driving.
So why do we see a rise in auto accidents during the holidays? Let’s take a look at a few of the potential reasons:
Increased Traffic
We all know what the holidays mean: more travelers. There are travelers going to visit family, and travelers going to parties. This means more people on the roads. With more congested roads, that means less safe traffic conditions.
On top of that, many of these drivers are either tired (from a long road trip, or staying out too late), or they’re in a rush. They don’t want to be late to that party that they are trying to get to. Or they only have a few days off of work or school to spend with family, so they want to hurry up and get to their destination as soon as possible to maximize their time spent with family.
More drivers on the road, paired with the fact that these drivers are possibly tired and/or rushed, can definitely cause an increase in auto accidents.
Intoxicated Drivers
It’s not just a lot of tired or rushed drivers that we all have to look out for during the holidays. Even more so, we have to be on the look for intoxicated drivers. We know how many parties there are during the holidays. And we know that a lot of alcohol is usually very present during these celebrations. So, with all of the holiday parties, we see an increase in the amount of drunk drivers on the road during the holidays.
Road Conditions
It definitely isn’t just the winter holidays that we see a rise in accidents during. On the contrary. There is a rise in accidents around all major holidays. This is possibly due to the fact that the other factors listed above (congested roads, rushed drivers, increases in “celebratory” intoxication) also apply to any of these other holidays. But a potential reason why the winter holidays’ driving conditions are so hazardous is because of the dangerous weather.
With winter holidays comes winter weather. This means snow, sleet, rain, etc, which means icy, slippery roads. Anytime you have these road conditions that is going to mean increased danger when it comes to driving conditions. Combine that with more people on the roads, who are in a rush or tired, and possibly intoxicated, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Stay Safe
This information is not shared to scare you. It is just to help you increase your level of awareness. Know that, between congested roads, rushed, tired, and possibly intoxicated drivers, and icy road conditions, the roads are especially hazardous during the holidays. Do what you can to help increase your chances of safe travelling. Don’t drive in a rush. Take your time to get to your friends or family. Drive more cautiously, taking note of the additional drivers on the road. Never, ever drive drunk. If each of us does everything in their power to drive safe during the holidays, hopefully we will see less of an increase in auto accidents during this season.