Memorial Day Has a Lot of Deadly Car Crashes

Memorial day, the unofficial start to summer, is one of the biggest driving days of the year. As a result, it is often the biggest day for deadly car crashes as well. This coming weekend, over 400 people will die due to a car accident. Over 50,000 people will be seriously injured.

Don’t put your children at risk this holiday weekend. Watch out for danger on the road.

Why is Memorial Day Weekend so Dangerous?

There are a lot of car crashes during the Memorial day holiday for two basic reasons.

1. The number of people on the road, over 36 million people will drive at least 50 miles from home this weekend. Greater numbers mean more accidents.
2. Alcohol. 44% of the fatal auto accidents will involve alcohol. Perhaps the result of attending a barbecue and failing to identify a designated driver.

Staying Safe This Weekend

Staying safe while you drive requires some common sense steps. Here are a few:

1. Wear your seat belt. A lot of people wear seat belts in the front seats, but don’t wear them in the back seats. Put your seat belt on the moment you get in the car, and keep it on until you get out. Your seat belt helps keep you from being thrown out of the car, as well as from turning into a projectile that can injure other people. Also, failure to wear your seat belt can result in a ticket.
2. If you have small children, put them in car seats. Not only is it the law, but small children can easily suffer serious injuries in even the most minor of collisions. For information on picking out the correct seat, check out the NHTSA’s website.
3. Check your tires. Old tires with not enough tread make your car difficult to control. Especially on wet roads. Check the tire pressure as well. Improperly inflated tires make your care difficult to control properly. It also impacts your gas mileage.
4. Check your brakes. If someone decides to slam on their brakes in front of you, if you press your foot down and it goes to the floor, you have a serious problem. Keep the rest of your car properly maintained as well.
5. Don’t drink and drive. Please don’t drink alcohol and drive. Have a designated driver who sticks to non-alcoholic beverages.

Watch Out for Dangerous Drivers

Beware people who drive unsafely. Avoid them as best you can.

In addition to the 5 items mentioned above, how you drive can play a huge role in helping you avoid a car accident. Watch out for aggressive drivers and do your best to stay out of their way. Having a road rage incident because someone else acts badly on the road puts everyone in your car, the other person’s car and on the road at risk. Do your best to control your temper, no matter how bad the other driver’s conduct might have been. It is easy to get upset when you are stuck in heavy traffic, but do your best to keep your family’s safety in mind. And above all, drive defensively. Defensive driving is the best way to keep yourself safe and avoid others who might cause an accident due to their bad driving habits.

Get in an Accident? Contact Lowenthal & Abrams

Hopefully you won’t have any  problems this Memorial day weekend. But if you do, Lowenthal & Abrams is here to help. We represent injury victims throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. You can contact us online.

Stay safe this weekend!