How Can Drivers Stay Safe on the Road on Labor Day Weekend?

Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day is one of the most traveled holidays of the year. Millions of people choose the last three-day weekend of the summer to visit relatives, go camping, or enjoy the seashore. Summer’s last hurrah also comes with a dark side that might trigger a need for a lawyer to help with a car accident.

Millions of motorists on the nation’s roadways mean lots of accidents and hundreds of deaths are likely. Only the Fourth of July surpasses Labor Day for travel and related deadly accidents. Labor Day averages 373 fatal accidents that claim an average of 407 lives each year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports. Independence Day accounts for 450 fatal accidents over the holiday.

Sensible Ways to Avoid Becoming a Holiday Traffic Statistic

Some basic driving safety could help to minimize the potential for being involved in a deadly accident over the three-day Labor Day holiday weekend. The National Safety Council (NSC) says the best ways for motorists and their passengers to stay safe at the end of the holiday include the following:

  • No drinking and driving.
  • Avoid drowsy driving.
  • Properly restrain child passengers.
  • Wait to read and respond to text messages.
  • Learn how to use vehicle safety features.

The NSC says alcohol is the number one factor in holiday accidents. Choosing a designated driver to stay sober can help, but even passengers can prevent accidents by acting in a relatively safe and reasonable manner.

Because the holiday weekend is long and many people love to travel, drowsy driving is a serious problem. Whenever drowsiness sets in, it is time to pull over and switch drivers, take a nap, or find a place for the night.

Child passengers likewise need to benefit from extra precautions, such as using size-appropriate child safety seats that are installed properly. Many vehicles likewise are equipped with air bags that drivers can switch off to protect young children from potential air bag impacts. Switchable air bags are just one example of the kinds of onboard technology that help to make modern vehicles much safer. Learning to use this technology can help to reduce the potential for road-going accidents.

Distracted driving is a major cause of car accidents. Using a smartphone while driving, especially texting, is dangerous. Drivers should wait to respond to a text message or voice mail.

Check Recalls and Maintain the Vehicle

More than 53 million vehicles are driven every day that have open recalls to fix something for which a manufacturer or the NHTSA received too many consumer complaints. When NHTSA gets too many complaints about the same issue on a particular make and model vehicle, it forces the manufacturer to issue a recall to fix the problem. Automakers also routinely issue voluntary recalls to correct items on their vehicles.

In 2009 and 2010, Toyota recalled millions of vehicles because of many models accelerating suddenly. General Motors more recently recalled millions of vehicles because of a potentially faulty ignition switch, and Honda issued a recall for defective airbags. All three recalls involved the loss of life of drivers and their passengers.

The NHTSA website enables vehicle owners to search voluntary and mandatory manufacturer recalls by entering a vehicle identification number (VIN).

Washington DC Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King Help Victims Present the Best Case

Labor Day weekend is among the most traveled and deadliest holidays of the year. If you are involved in an accident, you can present the best case with help from the experienced Washington DC car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King. You may be entitled to damages to cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and property loss. We fight hard to protect the welfare of our clients, and we will aggressively handle your case to ensure you receive the best possible compensation. Call us at 202-331-1963 or contact us online for a free consultation. Located in Washington, DC, we work with car accident victims in Prince George’s County, including Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park, Greenbelt, Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, Largo, Bowie, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Suitland, and Seat Pleasant, Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, and Fort Washington.