Did You Know That Car Accident Numbers Rise During The Holiday Season?

While the Christmas season is full of kindness and cheer, bear in mind that car crashes are one of the most devastating aspects of the season. Every year, there is a major increase in car accidents during the holidays, starting at Thanksgiving all the way until New Year’s.

According to the NHTSA, holiday traffic crashes result in more deaths than crashes on any other day of the year. Can you believe that? Numbers for 2017 were nearly 120 deaths each day during holidays, compared to just over 100 at all other times throughout the year.

In 2019 in Texas, there were 35 deadly accidents and a few more than that during Thanksgiving. That same year, there were a little over 25 fatal collisions and 30 deaths throughout Christmas and New Year’s altogether.

Just because there’s a car accident, that doesn’t mean it ends in death. The NSC estimates that over 13,000 non-deadly injuries occur during the holiday season each year.

In fact, lawyers specializing in car accidents see an increase in their workload, making for an extremely busy holiday season for them. Car crash injury lawyers in Bridgeport, CT may see less than say NYC car crash injury lawyers due to more traffic in the city. Either way, you don’t want your holiday season ruined by an accident you caused.

What Contributes to Car Accidents During the Holidays?

The higher incidence of holiday accidents is due to a multitude of factors that occur throughout the holiday season. The following are some of the most prevalent causes of an increase in holiday-season accidents.

More Traffic

Around the holidays, there are more vehicles on the road in general. With more people on the road, there are increased chances for accidents. More people are out shopping and conducting errands linked to the holidays overall, including Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and even New Year’s. During the holidays, individuals are more likely to be in the automobile more often and for longer amounts of time as they visit family.

Stressful Driving Situations

While the holidays are generally a happy time, it is also a source of more stress for some people. Pressures come from party commitments and purchasing presents, which might lead to someone driving impatiently or speeding more than usual. This may lead to being distracted while driving, causing drivers to make violations on the road and possibly getting into accidents. According to the CDC, driving while distracted increases the risk of a car accident.

More Drunken Driving

As people enjoy the holidays and some consume alcohol, drunk driving is generally on the rise. Of course, this may lead to more car crashes than usual. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that impaired driving is much more common during the holiday season. Deaths from drunk driving are in the hundreds during the holidays, almost reaching 300 in 2018. It is common sense that consuming alcohol affect one’s coordination and ability to make decisions, especially while behind the wheel.

Driving While Tired

The Christmas season’s responsibilities, such as running errands, shopping for gifts and entertaining loved ones and friends may be exhausting. With fatigue, your chances of being involved in a car accident are tripled. Drunk driving and driving while sleepy are essentially the same. Your reaction time is slowed and you have a limited capacity to recognize risks.

Driving in Areas You’re Not Familiar With

People who travel in unfamiliar cities are more likely to be involved in an accident. When you’re attempting to locate your route, for example, you may get sidetracked and cause an accident. You could also be unfamiliar with local traffic patterns.

Not Maintaining Your Vehicle

Some people may forgo routine maintenance in order to afford the gifts during the holidays. When it comes to important maintenance duties like brakes or your tires, this may be devastating. A tire blowout while on the major highway might endanger the driver’s life as well as the lives of others. Car maintenance is necessary at all times of the year.