Between the possibility of inclement weather, unfamiliar roads, and excessive alcohol consumption, the holidays actually produce elevated rates of deadly car accidents, which can quickly turn families’ seasons of joy to times of tragedy.
Before the turkey emerges from the oven or the eggnog begins to flow, America’s families face one major hurdle every holiday: getting where they’re going. While there’s no substitute for reuniting with far-flung relatives, the journey to family can take its toll on holiday travelers. For Thanksgiving, an estimated 48.7 million Americans hit the road for treks of 50 miles or more in 2016. Between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, 93.6 million attempted a road trip, ensuring roads clogged with revelers across the country.
But holiday travel has a darker side than just tough traffic. Between the possibility of inclement weather, unfamiliar roads, and excessive alcohol consumption, the holidays actually produce elevated rates of deadly car accidents, which can quickly turn families’ seasons of joy to times of tragedy.
To analyze the prevalence of this troubling trend, Avvo studied fatal accident data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration during the holidays throughout 2016. Findings show how risky holiday driving can be, and where travelers face the most danger throughout the country. Keep reading to learn more.
The results are shocking:
- Mississippi led all states in fatal crashes during the holidays, followed by Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina and New Mexico
- The Fourth of July ranked as the deadliest driving holiday—What’s really scary is that fatal car accidents actually doubled from – Thanksgiving to Christmas
- Wyoming drivers topped the list for highest number of holiday-related fatal accidents, while traveling in other states
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
