Driving Safely on the Road During the Holidays

Millions of people travel on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Therefore, there is a good chance that you’ll be one of those traveling this holiday season. Whether you are going around the corner, heading to another city, or taking off for a holiday vacation, it is essential to be alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. While the holidays can bring out the best in people, they tend to bring out the worst in drivers.

For example, many drivers become impatient and aggressive, start speeding, make careless and reckless mistakes, or choose to get behind the wheel after having too many alcoholic beverages. These behaviors do not mix well with the ever-growing traffic congestion or the inclement weather conditions that are common around the holidays, which is why you must take the proper precautions and drive as carefully and cautiously as possible.

If you find yourself injured in an accident, know that our experienced Chicago car accident lawyers are ready to protect you when you have been nice but other drivers have been naughty.

Why are the holidays so dangerous for drivers?

The holiday season is usually a joyful time. People have the opportunity to visit with their family and loved ones, exchange gifts, host or attend holiday parties or even enjoy the snow with their young children. However, the holidays are typically very dangerous for drivers. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), holidays are typically “associated with an uptick in car crashes resulting in serious injury and death.” For 2024, the NSC estimates that around 500 people may experience fatal accidents this Thanksgiving, more than 300 people may experience fatal accidents this Christmas, and close to 400 people may experience fatal accidents during the New Year’s Day period. If the NSC is correct, more than 1,000 people could die on the roadways this holiday season, which is very alarming. Here are a few of the reasons why the holidays are so dangerous for drivers:

• Snow, sleet, ice, and other winter weather conditions: Chicago gets around 30 to 40 inches of some type of winter precipitation each year. Therefore, when drivers hit the road this holiday season, they must be prepared to encounter snow, sleet, ice, and other winter weather conditions. If they are not careful when navigating these conditions, their vehicles can slide, hydroplane, and lose control, which can result in a serious accident. It is important to keep an eye out for accumulated snow, black ice patches, and even wet and slippery spots on the roadway this upcoming holiday season.
• More vehicles than usual on the roadways: When the holidays arrive, more vehicles than usual tend to be on the roads. AAA recently predicted that more than 71 million people will travel by car this Thanksgiving, which will be record-breaking if it happens. However, even after Thanksgiving, drivers will be scurrying around searching for holiday gifts, buying ingredients for their holiday get-togethers and parties, and visiting their families and friends. When there are more vehicles on the roadway, there is more frequent stopping and slowing down, which often leads to impatience, road rage, and crashes.
• Heightened stress, frustrations, and anxiety: While many people are happy and jolly during the holidays, others may experience heightened stress, frustrations, and anxiety. This is usually because of holiday shopping, increased traffic, lack of sleep and rest, and even financial problems. These feelings can lead to tense situations on the roadway, which can result in reckless or erratic actions, distractions behind the wheel, and aggressive behaviors.
• More drunk drivers: Drinking and driving is a serious problem near the holidays. Whether people are drinking at parties or family get-togethers or even because they are lonelier this time of year, getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol is inexcusable. Between 2018 and 2022, close to 5,000 people were killed in alcohol-impaired accidents in December. Alcohol causes your reaction times to become significantly reduced, your vision to become severely impaired, and your problem-solving and decision-making skills to be nonexistent, which can lead to dangerous and fatal accidents.
• Sharing the roads with vehicles that are not prepared for winter weather events: While you may have had your vehicle inspected, repaired, and maintained for the winter season, many other drivers do not do this. Therefore, when sharing the roads with these other drivers, you must be alert and aware of your surroundings. If a vehicle is not prepared for certain weather events, it is at risk of experiencing issues that can put other drivers nearby in harm’s way, such as a tire blowout, decreased tire traction, visibility problems, and battery and engine failure.

Precautions for Chicago holiday drivers

There is no such thing as being too careful when it comes to driving in Chicago in the wintertime. Some winter weather and holiday safe-driving suggestions are:

• Do not drink and drive. Just one drink can cause you to lose control of your vehicle by making you tired and slowing down your ability to react to emergencies. If you are attending holiday parties that require you to drive to get there, opt for the iced tea instead of the hard liquor, use a designated driver, or hire a rideshare service to get you home.
• Clear ice and snow from your car. It only takes a few extra minutes to remove ice and snow from your windshield, rear window, and side windows. Take the time to clean your lights. Let your front and rear defrosters do their job, and make sure your windshield wipers work before you start to drive. While you may be in a rush, these small steps can tremendously increase your safety and possibly even save lives.
• Go slowly. As snow, slush, dirt, and ice accumulate on roads, the pavement becomes much slicker. Slippery roads require more stopping time. It is better to go slow so your wheels get better traction. If necessary, you may even want to consider driving in a lower gear. Do not forget to give yourself additional time to get to your destination. You don’t want to be in a rush and feel the need to speed, which can increase your chance of being in an accident.
• Use your seatbelt. It can be tempting to skip the seatbelt when you have a bulky jacket on. However, wearing a seatbelt ensures that you remain in a secure and upright position, which could potentially save your life in the event of an accident.
• Do not drive while distracted. Listen to your GPS system, but do not look at it while you are driving. Sip that hot coffee when you are stopped. Do not text your friends that you will be there soon while you are in the car, and avoid checking emails or scrolling social media until you get to your destination. If you urgently need to do any of these things, it is crucial that you pull over to a safe area.
• Know your routes and plan ahead. Winter weather can cause detours and car accidents. Therefore, it is important to know what alternate routes are available if your path is blocked and plan ahead for any closures or delays.
• Look out for hazards and emergencies. Winter roads are known to have a lot of snow, ice, debris, and potholes, which can create hazardous situations. Therefore, it is critical that you keep an eye out for any sudden accidents or emergencies that may occur. For example, many vehicles stall out, lose control, and slide off the roadway during this time of year. You want to be prepared to avoid these accidents or emergencies and ready to dial 9-1-1 for help.

Consider having a winter safety kit in your vehicle

If you know that you are going to be driving a lot near the holidays, it is a good idea to store a winter safety kit in your vehicle. This kit should include several essentials that you might need in case a winter storm emerges and you become stuck on the side of the road or to simply help make your drive much safer and less stressful. You can place your kit on the back seat floorboard, your trunk, or even your glove box, depending on how much room you need. The following are some of the items you should consider including in your winter safety kit:

• A first aid kit (bandages, ointments, gauze pads, disposable gloves, pain relievers, etc.)
• An ice scraper
• A blanket or jacket
• A flashlight
• Extra batteries
• Non-perishable snacks and water
• Windshield wiper fluid
• Flares
• Salt
• A shovel

The best way to enjoy the holidays is with friends, not with medical staff. At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, our Chicago accident lawyers are dedicated to helping accident victims get justice for their pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and other damages. If you are involved in a winter crash, please call our office or complete our contact form to schedule an appointment. We represent accident victims on a contingency fee basis.