Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which means that many individuals will be travelling to see friends and family on this special day. If you are planning to drive a good distance to visit with relatives or friends, you are not alone. AAA reports that there will be about 43.34 million Americans travelling more than 50 miles by car for Thanksgiving this year. This is a decrease from last year, but only a slight one. 37% of all travelers will depart for their location on November 27th, the day before Thanksgiving.
While Thanksgiving travel is necessary, it can sometimes be dangerous. All drivers need be extremely careful to watch out for dangerous drivers out on the road. Drivers should never operate their vehicle when drowsy or distracted. Also, much of the east coast and inland from the east is in the midst of a terribly timed storm which is making the roads slick and limiting visibility.
A USA Today traffic analysis shows that drivers are in great danger of having an accident the day before Thanksgiving. Aside from the awful weather that is plaguing the nation, traffic accidents typically spike the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, as this is when most people are travelling. Many car insurance companies refer to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving as Black Wednesday due to the fact that so many accidents occur. One Progressive claims group president says that Black Wednesday is dangerous because of the mixture of relatives in town, students home from school, and no work the next day.
In addition to the heavy traffic on the roads because of travelers, there is often a heightened DUI risk on Black Wednesday since people feel that they have the liberty to drink freely without having to worry about a hangover the next day. Between 8:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. on Black Wednesday, Progressive reports that there is a 24% increase in accidents involving parking and rear-enders. There is also a 17% increase in general collisions, and a 14% increase in claims that involve vehicles that run into buildings or other private property.
The accident increase is worse in Maryland, where automobile crashes increase by 61%. In Oregon, there is a 60% increase in car accidents on this holiday weekend, and in Illinois individuals expect a 38% increase. Also, there is a 38% increase in Iowa and a 35% increase in North Carolina. If you are going to out on the roads on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, make sure to keep an eye out for other drivers, limit distractions, eliminate any cell phone use, and pull over if the storms limit your visibility or ability to control your vehicle.
In 2010, Thanksgiving was listed as the deadliest holiday of the year. That year alone, 431 people died on Thanksgiving Day. This is compared with 259 fatalities on Christmas and 403 on Labor Day. As well, there were 392 injuries on the Fourth of July. An estimated 90% of all Thanksgiving travelers will drive to their destinations on Thursday.
ER doctors say that most victims of car accidents during the Thanksgiving holiday arrive later at night. This is typically due to holiday alcohol, family alcohol, and the fact that the roads are emptier because of the late hours. Earlier in the day, car insurance companies say that most of the accidents that occur are at lower speeds and result in more minor injuries like bruises, neck injuries and other injuries of the like. Still, if these injuries result in medical treatments that cost money you may be able to get compensation. Talk with a car accident lawyer near you to get more information!