Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog
The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of our most dangerous times of our roadways. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), more than 430 people are expected to die in car accidents in Cooper City and elsewhere over a more than four-day period surrounding Thanksgiving Day.
The NSC is also predicting that nearly 44,000 injuries requiring professional medical attention will occur because of traffic crashes during this time. Although these predictions are nearly 20 percent lower than the actual results of previous Thanksgivings, we ask all motorists to be cautious, alert and prepared on our roadways when traveling over the weekend.
Our Cooper City car accident attorneys understand that roughly 43 million American are expected to travel at least 50 miles from their home over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. This is about 5 percent more travelers than the 2010 holiday. Many of these vacationers include snowbirds and tourists who will flock to our Florida sunshine. Drivers beware; your risks for a traffic accident will be significantly increased during the holiday weekend.
The Thanksgiving holiday is the time period from 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 23rd to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 27th. About 2 million more travelers are expected to be on our roadways this year, according to CNN.
Travel experts believe that this increase in travel is because of the gas prices. We’ve typically seen higher gas prices this year compared to recent years, which have caused residents to stick around town for other holidays. Well, residents are sick of it.
This year’s average gallon of gas costs $3.39. Last year’s average was about $2.88. Earlier in the year, Memorial Day travel remained relatively similar to last year’s travel numbers, whereas Independence Day and Labor Day’s travel actually decreased. Experts believe that residents are tossing out their concerns for finances over the upcoming holiday weekend and are hitting the road for a much needed vacation over Turkey Day.
“Driving AAA’s projected increase in the number of Thanksgiving travelers is pent-up demand from Americans who may have foregone holiday travel the last three years,” said Bill Sutherland, vice president of AAA Travel Services.
Most vacationers will be hitting the roadway over the holiday weekend. Airlines aren’t sure how their companies will do over Thanksgiving. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is expecting a 2 percent increase whereas the Air Transport Association of America is predicting a 2 percent decrease in travel from 2010 to 2011.
Drivers are urged to travel safely and cautiously during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Florida typically experiences more traffic during this time of year with the seasonal residents and with vacationing tourists, but traffic during Thanksgiving increases even more.
From our Cooper City car accident attorneys to your family, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident in Cooper City, Hollywood, Margate, Lake Worth, West Palm Beach or the surrounding areas, contact Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez, LLC for a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney to discuss your rights. Call 1-800-561-7777 today.
Additional Resources:
Crowded highways expected for Thanksgiving, by Aaron Smith, CNN
More Blog Entries:
‘Faces of Distracted Driving’ Campaign Targets Holiday Car Accidents in Cooper City, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, November 21, 2011
Costs of Car Accidents in Hollywood and Elsewhere Exceed Costs of Traffic Congestion, Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog, November 18, 2011