Drivers and passengers, beware: You are four times
as likely to die in a traffic accident over the Memorial Day weekend as over a
regular weekend, according to ValuePenguin.
In
assessing driving risks, the personal finance website compared traffic
fatalities over all the major holidays using statistics from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Memorial Day led with an average of 312
fatal accidents per year over the period 2011 to 2015. The other big summer
holidays were not far behind, however. Labor Day averaged 308 fatalities and
the Fourth of July, 307.
The clear takeaway: Driving on any of the big summer
weekend holidays is much more dangerous than on a normal weekend. The most
dangerous single day -- rather than weekend -- is July 4, perhaps because many
families are driving at night to and from fireworks displays.
More
and more travelers on the road add to those dangers. AAA forecasts that 39.3
million Americans will travel more than 50 miles over this year's Memorial Day
weekend, the most 2005, reflecting the ongoing economic recovery. Of that
number, an estimated 34.6 million, or 88 percent, will be driving.
"The
expected spike in Memorial Day traffic mirrors the positive growth seen
throughout the travel industry this year," said AAA senior vice president
Bill Sutherland. "Higher confidence has led to more consumer spending.
Many Americans are choosing to allocate their extra money on travel this
Memorial Day."
Other
highlights of Value Penguin's study:
·
Surprisingly, New Year's weekend was the second-least dangerous
holiday, with an average of 245 fatal accidents per year between 2011 and 2015.
It may be that years of public service announcements have convinced party-goers
not to drink and drive. Christmas had the lowest level of fatalities at 231.
·
As on normal weekends, the stretch of the Northeast between
Washington, D.C., and New York had a high incidence of fatal accidents on most
holiday weekends.
·
Texas and California shared in the carnage. The dubious
distinction of being the deadliest city on individual holiday weekends was
split between Houston and Los Angeles.
Knowing
these dangers probably will not deter you from driving to your holiday
celebrations. But keep in mind today's No. 1 safety tip: Texting or other
distracted driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. If you need to tell
your relatives you are running late, pull over.
Source: cbsnews.com
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