Memorial Day weekend is upon us and while we are all enjoying a day off and kicking off the unofficial beginning of summer, it is important to recognize the increased risk of traffic accidents when driving from one barbeque to the next. The National Safety Council projects that close to 400 people in the U.S. will die in traffic accidents during the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.1 Unfortunately, this projection is not hard to believe given that the national forecast for travel volume for this Memorial Day Weekend is the highest it’s been in 10 years. 1 In fact, fatalities from traffic accidents during Memorial Day Weekend are an average of 12.45% of the total fatalities in May.2 That number may seem small until you realize that an average of 393 people die from traffic accidents each Memorial Day Weekend. 2
So, during this busy weekend of fun and travel we should all take extra precautions to make sure we are safe while on the road. For example:
· Drive Defensively.
· Be Particularly Aware of Other Drivers.
· Don’t Drink and Drive.
· Don’t Text and Drive.
· Be Mindful of Speed Limits.
· Avoid Unnecessary Distractions While Driving.
Remember this Memorial Day Weekend to give yourself plenty of travel time and drive safely because it’s not worth getting into a traffic accident—no matter how good the ribs are.
2 National Safety Council – Memorial Day Holiday Period Traffic Fatality Estimate, 2015 (May 8, 2015)
