It’s true. According to the National Safety Council, approximately 400 people will be killed on the roadways this weekend and another 49,500 will be hurt. In fact, the NSC say that there are 37 percent more highway fatalities on July 4 than any other day in July, thanks to the increase of traffic on the roads. There’s also the danger of drinking and driving during the holiday. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission, from 2008 to 2012 765 people died in Fourth of July drunken-driving crashes, accounting for about 40 percent of traffic fatalities during the five-year period.
Auto accidents are not the only type of accidents that make July 4 a dangerous holiday. There’s also the danger of fireworks. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, there were eight deaths and about 11,400 injured because of fireworks in 2013, an increase from 2012. The majority of these injuries came within the month of July.
So if you are planning on traveling this weekend, keep these tips in mind:
- Keep at safe speed
- Give yourself enough time to get to your celebration
- Don’t drive aggressively and avoid distractive behavior such as using your phone or messing around with the radio
- And of course, don’t drink and drive
If you do get into a car accident this holiday weekend, remember not to handle your insurance claim alone. Contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone today for a free consultation.