Holiday weekends have an exceptionally high number of traffic accidents
and incidents. In fact, the National Coalition for Safer Roads did a comprehensive
study that found Memorial Day weekend to be the most dangerous holiday
for drivers.
We’ve put together some safety tips to stay safe on the roads during
this upcoming holiday weekend.
Prepare for Friday Afternoon Traffic
Friday afternoon and evening hold the most potential for risk of accidents
during Memorial Day weekend. Many individuals are getting off work at
similar times and eager to kick off the weekend, potentially making the
roadways overly congested.
Make sure you allow plenty of extra travel time in order to get to your
destination safely and on time. There will be much more traffic on the
road, so drive with extra patience. Remember that your number one priority
should be to get to your destination safely, whether or not that means
you lose some time.
Keep a Safe Distance Between Cars
Just because you are focused on safety doesn’t mean the person in
front of you is. In heavy traffic, stay a good distance behind the car
in front of you. If they brake suddenly, you will have room to react and
avoid a rear-end collision. It can also give the person behind you more
time to react to avoid a collision into the back of your car.
Don’t Drink and Drive, But Know Others May
Memorial Day weekend is one of the most notorious holiday weekends for
a spike in alcohol-related accidents. Alcohol is part of the mix at many
parties, barbecues, and group outings on this holiday weekend. If you
choose to drink, do so responsibly and make sure you have a designated driver.
Uber and Lyft will have drivers out in full force to shuttle you to and
from Memorial Day activities. Even if you take all these precautions,
remember that not everyone else on the road will. If you see a drunk or
reckless driver, make sure to contact local authorities so an accident
is avoided.
Have an Emergency Plan in Case of an Accident
Make sure you have an emergency plan in place. Keep a cell phone charger
in the car and make sure everyone in the vehicle knows where information
for emergency roadside assistance is located.
It’s important to enjoy your weekend, but make sure it’s not
at the expense of your safety or others. If you are, unfortunately, involved in a
car accident and have sustained an injury, you should immediately speak with an
experienced personal injury attorney who can inform you of what to do moving forward.
To speak with an experienced personal injury attorney about your rights,
contact Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci at (833) 600-0125 for a free
case evaluation.
