Spring turns into summer pretty quickly, and with summer comes road trips, summer BBQs, and long weekends away. There’s nothing quite like putting the keys in the ignition and heading out for some summer fun, but have you ever thought about how safe the roads are when you go?
According to the National Safety Council, there are quite a few ‘deadliest days’ on the roads in the United States and most of them center right on national holidays. Which is the most dangerous for drivers in the USA? You might be shocked to find out the most likely time for alcohol-related crashes is the big kick off to summer—Independence Day.
Independence Day is full of sun and fun, and deadly, alcohol-related crashes. Data compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that a boggling 51% of crashes on July 4th are alcohol-related, and Labor Day and Memorial Day come in close behind. Because the number one cause of teen death is car crashes, Memorial Day also kicks off a period of time known as the ‘100 deadliest days’ to be at teen driver.
The ultimate family get together, Thanksgiving, also hovers at the top of the list for deadly days to drive. The most recent data from the NHTSA shows that 431 people were killed in crashes and 40 percent of those were alcohol-related.
You might think Memorial Day and the Fourth of July are great times to put your summer into high gear, but if you’re drinking and driving, it’s also the time you’re most likely to crash and be injured or killed. Stay safe this summer and for the rest of the year and practice safe driving—don’t drive while distracted by your cell phone or anything else, always buckle up your seat belts, and never get behind the wheel while drunk.