Thanksgiving holiday brings higher crash fatality rates

While Thanksgiving may be one of the happiest holidays in South Carolina, it is also our nation’s most dangerous for drivers. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, 764 fatalities were reported in connection with crashes during Thanksgiving in 2012. In addition, almost 50,000 non-fatal car crashes were also noted. Only 654 fatal crashes were reported during Christmas that year.

The 2012 research comprises the most recent data from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System. For 2017, agency officials have issued an alert in advance of the holiday weekend, advising motorists to take safety precautions before traveling. Drivers are encouraged to check their windshield wipers and tire pressure as winter storms have been predicted in some parts of the country. Given the 2012 data, motorists should also remember to wear their seat belts and avoid driving drunk.

Medical professionals would likely agree with the NHTSA as mortality rates generally spike during the winter holiday season. In 2013, however, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the national death rate that year was approximately 5 percent lower in November than it was in December. Because the CDC’s 2013 statistics include deaths resulting from a range of causes, it may not seriously reflect the dangers of driving during the Thanksgiving holiday.

In spite of their best efforts, some South Carolina motorists may suffer serious injuries in car accidents. Under certain circumstances, a personal injury lawyer may be able to establish liability on the part of a distracted or negligent driver and pursue financial compensation on behalf of a crash victim.