Safe Driving Tips to Avoid Auto Accidents During Thanksgiving Road Trips

Do your Thanksgiving plans include travel? If so, you’re not alone, as numerous reports estimate that millions of Americans will travel this Thanksgiving holiday. Whether your travel plans include an across-state line trip or you’re visiting family a few hours away within your home state, it can be helpful to go over some safety tips.

Safety Tips for Thanksgiving Travel

Here are a few safety travel tips as you prepare for your upcoming Thanksgiving travel plans:

1. Avoid Fatigued Driving

Fatigued driving can be just as dangerous as driving under the influence. Plan your route ahead of time and include many stops. If you’re feeling tired before your planned stop, find a safe place to pull over and rest. If multiple adults are coming along for the trip, divide your driving between each person.

2. Avoid Alcohol

Drinking and driving is dangerous, even if you’re driving to a nearby city. It significantly reduces your reaction time, often leading to accidents. Not to mention, a DUI can lead to many life-changing consequences in New Jersey, including loss of a driver’s license, an impounded car, a permanent criminal record, and expensive fines. Thanksgiving is one of the biggest times of the year for DUIs to occur, so it’s also important to look out for other drivers who may have been drinking.

3. Avoid Distractions

Avoiding distractions is also important. Looking down at your phone for a second to read a text message is enough time to cause an accident. While texting and driving is the most commonly discussed type of distracted driving, it’s not the only one. Other distractions may include using your vehicle’s radio, turning around to grab something, or even eating while driving. Try to avoid all distractions when driving.

4. Always Wear a Seatbelt

While a seatbelt won’t prevent you from getting into an accident, it can help to reduce the severity of your injuries if you’re in one. Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), reports that the worst injuries come from those who were not wearing a seatbelt.

5. Follow All Traffic Laws

It may not seem like a big deal to run a stop sign when no one is around or to increase your speed a little over the speed limit to reach your destination faster, but this can also increase your risk of being in an accident. It’s also important to note that if you’re in an accident, you may be considered negligent for not following the traffic laws.

If you’re traveling to a new state, it can also be beneficial to review the laws of that state. While most states follow the same driving laws, there can be some variations among some local laws, like speed limits.

6. Know What to Do If You’re In An Accident

It can also be helpful to know what to do if you’re in an accident. Of course, receiving medical care should always be a priority. After that, collect any evidence that may help your case, like photographs or witness statements. If the other driver was negligent and caused your accident, it may be worth it to reach out to a personal injury lawyer.

Contact an Essex County Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Birkhold & Maider, LLC represent clients injured because of a car accident in Essex County, Hudson County, Mercer County, Union County, and throughout New Jersey. Call (973) 947-4670 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 189 Franklin Avenue, Suite 1 Nutley, NJ 07110, as well as satellite offices in Hamilton, NJ.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.