Traveling Thanksgiving Day? Practice These Safety Tips

Most people travel on Thanksgiving, whether it be to a family gathering or to a restaurant or for black Friday shopping deals. It is a time to give thanks for the blessings we have in life. A time to relax (or stress out completely) and eat way too much food. For most, the holiday goes without a hiccup and life returns to normal after the holiday. For some, they wake up to the horrors of a dirty kitchen and some family member sleeping on the couch.

For others still, it can be a nightmare. Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous travel holidays in America. More people travel for the Thanksgiving holiday than for Christmas. This means that roadways are busier than normal, which inevitably leads to accidents. For restaurants and bars there is something known as “black Wednesday” which is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and may just be the busiest night of the year. This means that a lot of people who have been out drinking may also be on the roadways with you and your family. To help you get around some of this craziness, here are a few safety tips from your friendly personal injury lawyers at Guest and Gray Law Firm:

Don’t Drink and Drive– If you do drink and have to drive, get a designated driver. Uber can literally be a lifesaver. Pay the money, its cheaper than dying. Trust me. You are far more likely to be involved in an accident after drinking. Alcohol slows your ability to respond to stimuli while driving. This includes other drivers, animals and even things in your car.
Drive during daylight hours only– by driving during daylight hours, you will likely avoid the most dangerous driving times. After dark, more people who have been drinking will be on the road traveling with you. You will also be able to see the road more clearly when the sun is up. Yeah, there may be more traffic, but traffic is better than dying. Trust me.
Limit Distractions While Driving– Many people are driving in unfamiliar areas during this time. Going from one family members or friends home to another, or shopping, etc.. These new areas may be unfamiliar to you. Pay attention to the road. Limit use of your cell phone GPS or in dash navigation system as these will inevitably distract you from your most important job: driving. Paying attention to the road and limiting distractions is better than dying. Trust me.
Avoid Tired Driving– The holiday can be exhausting. Driving after having been up all day can be dangerous. If you are up for longer than 12 hours, you probably should not be driving long distances. The longer you are up, the slower your response time and less able you are to pay attention for longer periods of time. In fact, there are studies that show that tired driving where you drive after being up for prolonged periods of time is akin to driving while intoxicated. This is why commercial drivers have limits on how long they can be behind the wheel in a 24-hour period. Waiting until the next day to drive is better than dying. Trust me.
MOST IMPORTANT: Don’t Hurt Other People Due to Your Own Negligence– If you go out and get into an accident because of any of the above mentioned items, you will likely be found at fault. There are no holiday freebies here. Everyone just wants to get home safe. It is a holiday. Lets try to make it as safe for everyone, including those around you, as possible. By taking simple steps to make sure that you aren’t a hazard to others, and if everyone else does the same, we should have a great holiday weekend. So, read the above, take the necessary precautions and HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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