The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day are arguably the busiest of the year. Among other things, families are planning trips to visit relatives to make the holidays the most wonderful time of the year. Yet, after decreasing for the past decade, traffic deaths increased 8% in the first half of the year, leading the nation’s experts to find ways to stem the human errors that result in 94% of all accidents.
Interestingly, when the official numbers came out for 2014, they showed a small decline (0.1%) in fatal crashes. However, this year, perhaps due to lower as prices and an improving economy, people are traveling more. In fact, Americans, traveled 1.54 trillion miles in the first half of 2015 alone, which is an increase of 3.5% from last year, says the Federal Highway Administration (FHA). National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) head Mark Rosekind believes that the increase in accidents is not due to more cars on the road and more miles being driven. He posited that texting and other distractions involving smartphones were to blame (in additional to the usual suspects of drunk and drowsy driving).
In these fast-paced weeks, it’s easy to move so quickly that we forget some safety basics. First and foremost, it’s truly best to simply turn your phone off, or otherwise place it out of reach (the backseat, for example). Better to be miss a text or call, than to be liable for causing an accident. Just one distracted moment can cause a great deal of harm. Taking a moment to remember simple safety tips can help keep your holidays safe and your memories joyous and fun.
As you plan the holidays, General Motors and its partners set forth these Seven Tips for Safe Holiday Travel:
- Remember to buckle up every ride, every time, whether it’s the long trip to visit family or around the block to the mall.
- Shopping center parking lots are busier during the holidays. Be aware of distracted pedestrians and drivers who may not be paying attention to you, especially when backing out of parking spaces.
- For parents of teens, remind them to be extra alert during this holiday season, when conditions are more challenging even for experienced drivers.
- Commit to keeping your electronics out of your hand. No text message or playlist is worth the risk.
- If you are headed to a party and plan to drink alcohol, designate a driver or use a car service to make sure you get home safely.
- Expect the unexpected. You never know when you have to stop abruptly, so keep hot foods, large gifts and anything that can become a projectile in the trunk.
- Remember when traveling in large groups, all vehicle occupants need their own seat belt or car seat, even for short rides.
And in the unfortunate instance when something does go wrong, the Law Office of Stuart L. Plotnick can help. Call 301.251.1286 for a free consultation to protect yourself and your loved ones.