Thanksgiving is a time for families to reconnect, have fun, and of course, overeat. Also, Thanksgiving often means more time in the car. The unfortunate reality is that the increase in cars on the road, combined with other factors during this time, leads to an increase in accidents and fatalities from vehicle accidents.
The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the busiest nights for bars and drinking establishments as people return home. In fact, Thanksgiving is the deadliest holiday on the roads according to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHSTA notes that from 2012-2016 more than 800 people died in alcohol-related accidents during the Thanksgiving Holiday.
There were almost 50,000 non-fatal car accidents during Thanksgiving in 2012 alone. All the data suggests in a very clear way, that the roads are dangerous during this time of year. Here in 2017 in Rutherford County, November saw the highest amount of total accidents during the year. So these trends and numbers nationally are also apparent when looking into the local data.
To stay safe on road trips requires constant attention and patience. Even things like remembering to wear your seatbelt can be hard amid all the chaos of family, children, and holiday stress. Of course, this is always easier said than done. You can do all the right things and through no fault of your own be involved in an auto accident.