The National Safety Council estimates almost 800 lives will be lost in America during the 2014 holiday season. That is a large number.
According to the NSC, there will be approximately 366 traffic deaths over the Christmas holiday which began at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 24 and ends at 11:59 on Sunday, December 28, 2014.
The New Year’s Day holiday period which begins at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31 through 11:59 p.m on Sunday, January 4, 2014 will account for another estimated 421 road fataliites
Estimated Injuries
In addition to lives lost, the NSC estimates 39,200 injuries requiring medical attention from vehicle crashes over the Christmas holiday and 45,000 such injuries during the New Year’s holiday time frame.
2014 Estimates- Little Higher than Last Year
The total of 787 fatalities that are predicted for 2014 compares to an average of 663.2 in the most recent prior five year holiday periods for which actual statistics are available. The larger prediction this year is primarily due to the days of the week on which the two holidays fall.
NSC president, Deborah Hersman, “Sadly, we could be facing two especially deadly holiday periods, since each will include a long four-day weekend. Families should take extra precautions on our highways to avoid unnecessary tragedies.”
Common – Sense NSC Suggestions for Driving Safety
1. WEAR A SEATBELT- the NSC estimates that this action alone could save 288 lives over the holidays
2. Refrain from using electronic devices while behind the wheel
3. Drive defensively
4. Avoid driving when tired
5. Never operate a vehicle is you are impaired by alcohol or drugs.
Holiday Law Enforcement
Two agencies have kicked off their annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” holiday crackdown on drunk driving. This campaign is aimed at raising awareness and get impaired drivers off of the road. From Dec 15, 2014 through January 1, 2015, more than 10,000 police departments and law enforcement agencies will be placing special emphasis on identifying and stopping impaired drivers.
Solutions to Not Drinking & Driving Over the Holidays
Google Play- SaferRide App from the National Traffic Safety Administration has three buttons on its home screen that allows impaired users to choose from a list of nearby taxi services, automatically calls the pre-programed number of a sober friend for a ride and identify their location by displaying a map of the area. This particular app is not too complicated which is crucial if someone is impaired—it’s simply choosing between THREE buttons. The options of a list of taxi services are under “Call a Cab” and “Call a Friend” allows you to access all of your contacts. The third button, may seem silly when you read this while sober, however, it really makes a lot of sense! It’s the “Where Am I?” button which tracks your physical location which is so helpful if calling a taxi or a friend!
Work out your travel plan before you go out to celebrate. Determine who your designated driver will be and maybe offer them special perks, like treating them to dinner! It is always better to deal with the inconvenience of having to return to your car with a hangover than to have a traumatic change in your life or the life of another due to a car crash because of drinking.
Keep it safe out there this holiday season and don’t become one of the 800 estimated road fatalities or one of the 85,000 car crash injuries. Our expert car accident attorneys are available seven days a week to give you much needed legal information if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, however, we would really much rather you not need us. Call locally (314) 276-1681 or toll free (800) 685-3302
