Give thanks for staying safe on the roads over Thanksgiving

It’s officially late autumn, but of course if you step outside on an early morning, you might be forgiven for thinking that winter has arrived in the Edwardsville area. One of the upsides of winter (or late fall) is that it’s also holiday season. Because Thanksgiving is just a few days away, we thought we would quickly go over some of the dangers associated with the otherwise pleasant occasion.

Because the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is one of the most heavily traveled periods of the entire year, those who are going to drive should be aware of dangerous drivers who cause motor vehicle crashes and injuries. Those reckless motorists can be described with several “D” words: distracted, drunk and drowsy.

It’s difficult to decide which of the “D” drivers is worst. There are good arguments to be made for any of the three.

• Drowsy drivers: research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has determined that up to one out of five fatal crashes across the U.S. involves a drowsy driver.
• Drinking (and drugged) drivers: the Centers for Disease Control estimates that one person is killed in an alcohol-related crash every 51 minutes in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that slightly more than one out of every five drivers in traffic accidents tests positive for drugs, whether illegal, prescription or over-the-counter.
• Distracted drivers: an increasing problem across the nation, these drivers are estimated by the National Safety Council to be involved in one out of four wrecks.

If you or a loved one has been hurt by a distracted, drunk, drugged or drowsy driver, contact a law firm experienced in obtaining maximum compensation in personal injury litigation.