In today’s fast-paced world it is increasingly easier for families to stay in touch even with huge distances between them. It is easier for parents to send their children out of state for an education, for grandchild to facetime their grandparents from a far away home, and for siblings to have lives on opposite ends of the country while still communicating often. Thanks to technology many changes have occurred in the closeness of family life. What has not changed is the traditional togetherness that the holidays bring about. Children, grandchildren, and parents still enjoy and cherish getting together during the holiday season for a shared meal, quality strolls down memory lane, and making new stories. While there is no time quite like family time, the distance does have an effect on holiday travelers.
THE MOST DANGEROUS HOLIDAY
Contrary to popular belief New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and even Mardi Gras pale in comparison to travel trauma when it comes to Thanksgiving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rates Thanksgiving as the number one most hazardous time to travel in the United States. Back in 2012 Thanksgiving saw 764 crashes that resulted in death to a driver or passenger. For comparison’s sake there were only 654 during Christmas. To add to that, there were 50,000 non-fatal accidents that same Thanksgiving holiday. The NHTSA estimates that at least 40% of the passengers killed that year were involved in an accident with a drunk driver.
AVOIDING INJURY
The holidays come with added stress for travel plans, family time, and planning festivities. The number one way to cut down on accident related injuries is to plan out your trip beforehand. Do not drink if you expect to drive. Get rest before a lengthy road trip. A driver who is over tired does not have much better reaction skills than a driver who is intoxicated. Make sure you allow for enough time to travel from point A to point B, even if you have to stop and pick up cranberry sauce. Distracted driving has become a hot topic, and for good reason. Texting or talking on a cell phone is a distraction that often proves fatal to a driver or their passengers.
CONTACT OUR ACCIDENT LAWYERS FOR HELP
If you or someone you love is involved in a serious car accident this holiday season, you don’t have to go it alone. Contact our Mankato car accident attorneys at Kohlmeyer Hagen Law Office and let us do the heavy lifting to claim your compensation. Or call 507-200-8959.