Thanksgiving Safe Driving Tips
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and food. But that also means it’s a time for more travel. More travel usually means more accidents, but here are some driving tips to help you stay safe this Thanksgiving.
The Number One Safe Driving Tip for Thanksgiving
Focus on Driving and Avoid Distractions
Holidays are a time of excitement and sometimes stress, which can be distracting and lead to car and truck accidents. According to Nationwide, keeping your full attention on driving and avoiding distractions when you’re behind the wheel is the most important thing you can do to stay safe. This means:
- Avoid distractions: Put your phone away, and don’t engage in activities that take your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel, like texting, eating, or fiddling with the radio.
- Be aware of your surroundings: Pay attention to other drivers, pedestrians, and road conditions.
- Get enough rest: Drowsy driving is impaired driving and a leading cause of West Virginia accidents. Make sure you’re well-rested before your trip, and take breaks every couple of hours to stretch your legs and stay alert.
Distracted driving is a major cause of car and truck accidents, and during the busy holiday season, with increased traffic and potentially stressed drivers, it’s even more important to be vigilant. Prioritize focus to keep yourself and others safe on the road.
5 More Important Tips for Staying Safe While Traveling During Thanksgiving
Vehicle checkup: Ensure your tires, brakes, fluids, and lights are all in good working order. The holidays are a good time to get your vehicle inspected by a mechanic. Worn tires are a common cause of motor vehicle crashes.
Plan your route and travel time. This may seem like an unimportant tip. Planning your route and allowing plenty of time to get to your destination will put you in a better frame of mind so you can follow the most important tip above – staying focused and alert. Our thinking, reflexes, and cognitive skills are all impaired when we are in a rush.
Be patient: Expect delays and heavy traffic. Take deep breaths and avoid aggressive driving. Road rage won’t get you there faster.
Take breaks: Stop every 2-3 hours to stretch your legs and avoid fatigue.
Share the driving: If possible, switch drivers regularly to prevent exhaustion.
Check the weather: Monitor weather conditions along your route and adjust your plans accordingly.
Don’t drink and drive: This is an obvious one, but planning ahead to use a sober driver or ride-sharing service if you plan on consuming alcohol can be a life saver.
Bonus Tip: Download a real-time traffic app like Waze or Google Maps to help you navigate around accidents and congestion.
If you do experience an accident, here are some things you can do:
- Seek medical attention if necessary.
- Report the accident to the proper authorities – it’s the law in West Virginia if anyone is injured or there is property damage over $500.
- Take pictures of the accident scene.
- Gather contact information from any witnesses.
- Contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal options.
Get a Free Consultation With a Top-Rated West Virginia Accident Attorneys
At West Law Firm, we hope the above helps keep you and your family and friends safe this Thanksgiving holiday. Unfortunately, accidents will still happen. If you or a loved one is injured in a West Virginia auto accident, we invite you to call us for a free case evaluation by an experienced and caring car accident lawyer. There’s also No Fee unless and until we recover compensation for you.
Call West Law Firm today toll free at 1-877-943-9378 (WEST).
Brooks West is a distinguished West Virginia personal injury attorney and the founder of West Law Firm. Since beginning his legal career in 2005, he has been a tireless advocate for those injured due to the negligence of others.
Brooks is ranked by Best Lawyers, and his exceptional legal skills and dedication have earned him the prestigious Martindale-Nolo AV Preeminent Rating, an accolade bestowed on attorneys who demonstrate the highest levels of professional excellence and ethical standards. Brooks is also a member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multimillion Dollar Advocates Forum, reflecting his track record of securing multimillion dollar results for his clients.
Throughout his career, Brooks has demonstrated unwavering dedication to helping injured individuals and their families. If you’ve been hurt in an accident, Brooks West and his team at West Law Firm are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Lance Bork