Be Extra Safe On the Roads This Thanksgiving for the Following Reasons
You can’t be too safe when driving during any holiday, but Thanksgiving has its own set of problems because it’s such a long and busy weekend. Mark’s Auto Service wants to make sure everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving this year; we all need it. We can service your car before your trip and offer the following facts that alert you of the dangers inherent to driving over Thanksgiving weekend.
The Weekend Itself
For statistical purposes, federal safety administrations consider Thanksgiving weekend to be a total of 4.25 days that begins on Wednesday evening and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. This year, Thanksgiving weekend will start on Nov. 25 at 6 p.m. and end on Nov. 29 at 11:59 p.m. Thanksgiving, Nov. 26 is the official federal holiday, and many also consider Black Friday a holiday to shop until they drop.
Crowded Roads
Part of what makes this weekend so dangerous is the number of people on the roads – an estimated 55 million in 2019. Wednesday and Sunday are the busiest travel days over the weekend, but Black Friday shoppers tend to clog the city streets and highways that lead to the outlet and strip malls on Friday. With this many people focused on things other than their driving, it’s no wonder accidents happen.
Speaking of Accidents
As with any holiday, drinking and driving are a huge concern over the Thanksgiving weekend. Another tradition is football all weekend long, which leads to plenty of beer making its rounds. Last year, the NSC (National Safety Council) estimated 300 to 400 people could die in a Thanksgiving weekend car crash. It was also estimated that about 50,000 people would be injured in accidents.Drinking and driving accounted for 35 percent of the accident fatalities in 2017, but law enforcement officers often refer to “the fatal four” for holiday weekend accidents. The fatal four are driving while drunk, driving while distracted, speeding, and failing to wear a seatbelt. All of these things should be avoided to keep you and your passengers safe throughout the 4.25 days of the weekend.
Preventative Medicine
You know the adage prevention is the best medicine, and it is here, too. Consider the facts above while you’re driving over Thanksgiving. Stay safe, don’t speed or disobey traffic laws, buckle up, and make sure you don’t drink and drive. Keep your eyes on the road and steer clear of traffic hazards, including other drivers. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you need to go, as well.Contact Mark’s Auto Service so we can give your vehicle the once-over to ensure it’s safe and reliable all weekend long. We have two shops in Illinois, one in Rockford and one in Loves Park.