According to TheTrucker.com Thanksgiving is one of the most dangerous holidays , being the third most dangerous after New Year's Day and the 4th of July. Between 1998 and 2008 there was an average of 572 deaths annually on U.S highways during the Thanksgiving holiday, making it the most deadly four-day holiday period on American roads, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
I know that there are alot of travelers out on the road but I thought by people flying would cut down on some of the deaths on roadways.
After reading this article it opened my eyes to the fact that most of the deaths were young adults between the ages of 18-29. That really hits close to home for me being that I have four children between those ages. Another interesting fact is that 56% are men and 45% are women and shift workers are at risk as well. This information was provided by the National Sleep Foundation. Have you ever been so tired when driving that it was a fight to keep your eyes open? That is the worst feeling ever! I can remember being at a conference in Kansas City, MO and staying out a little too late the night before and having to be up for sessions the next morning. When we were released at noon I had to actually pull over in an area and take a nap. I felt a little uneasy since I was traveling alone but I reclined my seat covered my whole body, including my face, and took an hour power nap.
If you are traveling over this holiday season make sure and leave for your destination in plenty of time, watch your speed, (the posted speed limit is as fast as you are supposed to go), keep a safe following distance from the car/ truck in front of you and do not tailgate and if you are tired pull over and take a nap or have someone else drive and most important WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT. I hope that everyone has a blessed and safe Thanksgiving and does not become one of the statistics.
Wow! It's amazing how many people die on the way to their family's house on the holidays. I can understand that though. There are a lot of people on the road around this time of year and you gotta be careful when driving, especially if you are going really far away from your home. It's always good to be prepared, because not everyone else on the road is prepared for the road ahead of them. Some people are not as good a driver as other people. You have to be aware of everything and everyone around you while driving and always stay alert. You don't want to be the next person on the 6 O'clock news.
ReplyDeleteI have done those long and stupid drives myself. The drives that you push yourself so hard that hours skip by and you aren't sure if you were awake for the last hour. I don't do those any more. But this time of year is definately one of the most dangerous. People are rushing, eating, drinking and over exerting themselves. They need to follow all the good advice that you put on your blog and make sure that the weather is good. If not, leave extra time and get plenty of rest. Hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and are preparing for the next holiday in 30 days.
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