Roadways Dangerous During Holiday Season | O'Keeffe O'Brien Lyson Attorneys

Roadways Dangerous During Holiday Season

There are certain days each year when it’s probably best to stay off the road.  Statistics show that the top 10 worst days for driving include Christmas Day, New Years Day, and NFL game day.

Here’s the complete list:driving-38346_640

  1. Memorial Day weekend. Many consider Memorial Day the beginning of the summer season, which is something to celebrate. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, 400 people die each year during this holiday weekend.
  2. The start of daylight savings time. Losing an extra hour of sleep typically contributes to a 17 percent increase in traffic fatalities, according to NHTSA data.
  3. Black Friday. A day when millions of shoppers hit the streets looking for bargains, Black Friday is also a day known for a high number of accidents involving rear-end collisions and fender benders in parking lots.
  4. NFL game day. It’s probably no surprise that accident claim frequency around professional football stadiums goes up on game day, depending, interestingly enough, on whether the home team wins (accidents decrease) or loses (accidents increase).
  5. Friday the 13th. An unlucky day for many, including those who get into an automobile accident on this fateful day.
  6. New Year’s Day. Surprisingly, New Year’s Day made the worst day to drive list, not New Year’s Eve, likely because many people’s celebrations extend well past midnight.
  7. July 4th. This holiday was found to be the deadliest day to be out on the road between 2000 and 2013, with over 40 percent of accidents involving at least one driver with a BAC over the limit.
  8. According to AAA, more families travel by car on this holiday than any other, and drive at least 50 miles from home on the average, while under the influence of alcohol, food, and distraction.
  9. Another stressful holiday, Christmas combines holiday stress, busy roads, and aggressive driving tendencies.
  10. Patrick’s Day. A popular drinking holiday, after midnight is the worst time to be on the road returning home after celebrating on St. Patrick’s Day.

What Makes These Days Dangerous to be on the Road?

The holiday season is often stressful, which can keep drivers’ minds off the road and lead to accidents. For many, holiday celebrations include overindulgence in alcohol. To make matters worse, the holidays are also a time when those who rarely drink alcohol decide to partake and then get behind the wheel.

If you suffered injuries because of an accident caused by a negligent driver, contact a personal injury lawyer at O’Keeffe O’Brien Lyson Attorneys online, or call 701-235-8000 or 877-235-8002 (toll-free) today.

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