Thanksgiving does not always play out as hoped. Some families are left wondering what exactly they have to be thankful for after a holiday crash leaves family members injured or killed.
This annual celebration sees a disproportionately high number of fatal crashes on the roads for several reasons.
Long drives and tiring days
Many people drive a long way to visit family members. These trips can be a far cry from those joyful road trips you see in the movies. They are often more about a carful of tired and stressed people who cannot wait for the journey to finish.
Kids may get bored with the journey and start acting up, distracting and annoying their parents. Adults may be tired before they start from all the planning involved, and the days spent with extended family can also take their toll. The journey home may involve a driver who is exhausted, an argument between partners about how difficult some of each other’s family members can be or other things that reduce the driver’s ability to drive safely.
Heavy traffic and unfamiliar roads
Driving over Thanksgiving typically means getting stuck in traffic due to the high number of other families making trips to see their loved ones. Tensions can sometimes spill over, causing drivers to act aggressively or make bad choices that put several vehicles at risk.
The holiday traffic also tends to make the roads congested, and many of those drivers may be unfamiliar with the roads. That can raise the chances of an accident.
Lingering effects of alcohol
Alcohol consumption goes up for many people over Thanksgiving. Drivers may be affected by their earlier alcohol consumption when they pop to a store to pick up last-minute ingredients, or when they begin the journey home.
Hopefully your Thanksgiving will be both safe and enjoyable. If a crash does occur and you or your family are injured, be sure to learn more about how best to seek compensation.
