This week families everywhere will take the road to get together for the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is unique in that it’s a certain day of the week rather than a date, like most other holidays. That make the traffic pretty easy to predict and maybe avoid. Learn 4 ways to avoid auto accidents on Thanksgiving.
Most people will travel on Wednesday and go home on Sunday to get back in time for their work week. Travel will go up on Thursday night and all day Friday when people get out to capture the Black Friday sales. Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous times of the year with auto accidents soaring.
The increased traffic and people’s behaviors are what causes this spike in accidents. In 2015, Progressive Insurance did a study that compared car accident claims during Thanksgiving week to the two weeks before and after the holiday. This is what they found:
• Car accidents increase on Black Wednesday before Thanksgiving by 25%.
• Car accidents increase 20% on Thanksgiving Day.
• Black Friday sees the biggest increase in accidents at 34%.
• Sunday sees the biggest percentage of out-of-state accidents during the holiday week.
Although these statistics are alarming, there’s no reason to cancel your Thanksgiving travel plans. Follow these 4 tips to make sure you and your loved ones stay safe this holiday weekend.
1. Consider Alternative Travel Dates
You may not be able to change the dates of travel, but if you can, you may want to avoid traveling on Wednesday and Sunday.
If you extend your holiday until Monday you’ll find the roads a lot clearer as well as safer. Monday has 37% less accidents than Sunday, and Saturday has 17% less accidents.
2. Watch Where You Are Going
On Wednesday, almost 60% of the accidents involve an animal or non-moving object. Accidents caused by deer soar every fall, so be alert and learn to avoid hitting deer. Visit my blog on avoiding deer hits.
3. Don’t Drink and Drive
Even though Thanksgiving isn’t known as the top holidays for drinking and driving there are still plenty of people on the road who have had too much to drink. The night before Thanksgiving sees a surge in bar activity, because friends and family members are getting together and are excited about seeing each other. Thanksgiving night can be dangerous due to those consuming too much liquor during the Thanksgiving feast.
If you decide to participate in the Thanksgiving festivities, make sure you have a designated driver with you to get everyone home safely. If not, make sure to use Uber or another service to get home.
4. Prepare or Avoid Black Friday
Black Friday gets crazier each year. Families and Friends take this time together to scour the stores for deals. This is the biggest shopping day of the year and, if you can, avoiding the large mall’s and stores is a good idea. However, for many it’s a family tradition that can’t be broken. So, if you must go shopping, be alert, cautious and stay safe.
A couple of good ideas to avoid a collision are:
1) Park out further in the parking areas where you don’t have to drive through as much of the caos.
2) Consider going early. Even though people get up and go at the crack of dawn, the traffic is still less earlier in the day.
3) Avoid the stores and shop on line. This may not be as fun, but it’s a whole lot safer.
If You Are in an Accident
Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy your friends and family, but accidents do happen. If you or your family find yourself in an accident, come see us at Collision Pros. Collision Pros has auto body repair locations throughout Northern California in Auburn, Chico, Paradise, Red Bluff and Woodland. Collision Pros where we get it right, on time, every time.
