Planning for the holidays might involve buying plane tickets or budgeting for fancy gifts. People put on meals, host their loved ones and enjoy family traditions to celebrate the holidays.
For most families, the holidays are a pleasant time to get together and make memories. For a small portion of families, the holidays are a painful reminder of a tragic loss. Major federal holidays aren’t just times when people get days off of work and reconnect with their families. They are also statistically one of the most dangerous times to be out on the road. Fatal crashes are substantially more common around the holidays.
What contributes to the increased rate of fatal collisions around the holidays?
Alcohol consumption
One of the main factors that contribute to collision risk is the tendency to celebrate the holidays with alcohol. From beers enjoyed while watching a football game on Thanksgiving to the champagne tote at midnight on New Year’s Eve, many popular holiday traditions involve alcohol. Frequently, people plan to head home after enjoying their celebrations. They may experience diminished driving ability because of the alcohol they consume. Major federal holidays and the weekends closest to them tend to see a noticeable increase in the number of drunk driving crashes that occur.
Driver fatigue
Getting ready for the holidays isn’t particularly easy. Parents may stay up late at night wrapping gifts, while those driving to see loved ones may have to hit the road very early in the morning to arrive on time. Those who have gone too long without rest might find themselves on the road while they are fatigued at the end of their holiday celebrations. They may have diminished capabilities or might fall asleep at the wheel with tragic results.
Increased risk of distraction
Family travels during the holidays can be very distracting experience. Children might be noisy as they become frustrated waiting in the backseat. The driver may need to frequently check navigation software to review the route. They may have incoming text messages from friends and family about the celebration they are about to attend. All of those distractions can take someone’s attention away from safely driving and might potentially lead to a preventable crash.
Other factors, including the overall density of traffic and the weather, can also contribute to the risk of a motor vehicle collision around the holidays. Holding other drivers accountable for bad choices that cause crashes may require an insurance claim or possibly even a lawsuit.