The holidays tend to be more dangerous for driving. More people are out traveling on the roads, which causes increased congestion and a greater chance of an accident. Additionally, more people are drinking and some may decide to get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
New Year’s Eve, in particular, is notorious for the rate of drunk driving accidents. Below, we discuss dangerous driving trends surrounding this holiday.
Is It Dangerous to Drive on New Year’s Eve?
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), approximately 163 people die on U.S. roads during the New Year’s Day holiday period. There are several reasons for this statistic.
First, New Year’s Eve is a holiday celebrated at night. This means that most people out celebrating will return to their homes late at night, often after midnight. Nighttime driving is substantially more dangerous than daytime driving, largely due to increased tiredness and use of alcohol after dark. In fact, the NSC estimates that 39% of fatalities involved an alcohol-impaired driver during the 2018 New Year’s Day holiday period.
Second, New Year’s Eve occurs during the winter and, in many parts of the country, cold weather will create snowy, icy, or wet roads. Such conditions are more likely to contribute to a car accident than road conditions during dry months.
While more people will be staying home this New Year’s Eve during the COVID-19 pandemic, that doesn’t mean that you may not be on the road for another reason. It’s still important to know how to protect yourself on the road this holiday season, no matter the current circumstances. Several measures to do this include:
- Never drive while drunk or drowsy.
- Clean your windshield regularly.
- Change your tires when necessary to maintain tread.
- Dim your dashboard and infotainment system to reduce glare.
If you have been injured in a car accident, our Sacramento personal injury attorneys are here to help. We have the experience and resources needed to recover fair compensation for you. We’re here to help during this difficult time.
Call Kershaw Talley Barlow at (916) 520-6639 to schedule a free consultation.