It is an unfortunate truth that there is a spike in auto accidents seen throughout Washington, D.C. during holiday weekends. This especially includes the Thanksgiving weekend; so we urge you to practice an abundance of care while traveling on the roads. Continue reading to learn the commonality of auto accidents on Thanksgiving weekend and how an experienced Washington, D.C. car accident lawyer at Simeone & Miller, LLP can help you in such an incident.
How often do auto accidents occur on Thanksgiving weekend?
Data has reported that approximately 515 individuals were killed in fatal auto accidents on Thanksgiving weekend in 2020. Unfortunately, this number has been seen to steadily increase throughout a five-year span. With this, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is shown to have the highest rate of fatal auto accidents out of the entire weekend. And such accidents most often occur between the hours of 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
What are the common causes of these auto accidents?
Apparently, drivers navigate the roads more negligently during holiday weekends such as Thanksgiving. More specific reasons why auto accidents become more common on Thanksgiving weekend are as follows:
- There is a higher rate of drivers who get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol after holiday festivities.
- There is a higher rate of fatigued drivers who are taking extensive road trips for the holiday weekend.
- There is a higher rate of reckless drivers who are rushing to get to their holiday weekend destination (i.e., unsafe lane changes, speeding, etc).
- There is a higher rate of drivers who get road rage from bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions (i.e., tailgating).
- There is a higher rate of drivers who get distracted while sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic (i.e., texting while driving).
How do I avoid getting involved in an accident during this holiday weekend?
You may not be able to make other drivers drive carefully. However, there are certain measures that you can take to stay safe on the roads during this holiday weekend. They read as follows:
- You must ensure that you stay within the enforced speed limit on busy roads and highways.
- You must ensure that you take an extra second to survey your surroundings at busy intersections.
- You must ensure that you and your passengers are properly buckled while you are driving.
- You must avoid any distractions while you are behind the wheel (i.e., you must not text while driving).
- You must ensure that your car has been recently inspected and serviced (i.e., tires and brakes), especially if the forecast calls for poor weather conditions.
At the end of the day, for your claim proceedings, please consider contacting a skilled Washington, D.C. auto accident lawyer. Our team at Simeone & Miller, LLP is ready and willing to assist you.