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The Five Worst Days of the Year for Drunk Driving

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Worst Days of the Year for Drunk DrivingWhen it comes to safe driving, there is plenty we can do in order to avoid an accident including obeying speed limits, staying focused, and driving defensively. Did you also know that certain days of the year, produce more drunk drivers, and are therefore more dangerous days for driving?

Here is a list of the five worst days of the year for drunk driving. Avoid hitting the road, especially late at night and early in the morning on these days to stay away from intoxicated drivers.

  1. New Year’s Day. This is no surprise as people around the country attend parties to ring in the New Year, often drinking copious amounts of alcohol and then still attempting to get home in the early hours of the morning. Studies show that more than half of all deaths that occur on New Year’s Day involve drunk driving.
  2. Super Bowl Sunday. A large amount of alcohol-related deadly traffic accidents happen on the Sunday of the NFL Super Bowl every year.
  3. July 4th.  Independence Day isn’t just a celebration of our country’s independence, it’s also one of the most popular days for alcohol consumption. Be careful when you get in your car on the 4th of July, regardless of the time of day, as intoxicated drivers may be leaving a BBQ at any time.
  4. Labor Day. Labor Day often means BBQs as Americans celebrate (or mourn) the end of summer. Unfortunately, these BBQs often mean drinking, and in some cases driving, leading to an increase of traffic deaths of about 300-400 percent from a normal day.
  5. Thanksgiving Day. Call it too much fun, or too much family, but Thanksgiving rounds out our list of the most deadly days to drive. As we sit down to give thanks for our blessings, we usually accompany our turkey and stuffing with a drink or two, or more. Unfortunately, many people will get in their car after those drinks, making a dangerous decision to head home.

We can’t control the actions of other drivers, as much as we might like to, but we can make decisions ourselves to better protect ourselves and our families. Try to avoid driving at peak accident hours (in the night and early hours of the morning) and be extra cautious of other drivers – or better yet, stay put if you can, and enjoy safe, happy holidays!