Why Do Car Accidents Increase During the Holiday Season?

Many would agree that the holiday season is one of the happiest times of the year. However, the statistics show this is not the case for everyone, as a spike in car accidents also marks the holiday season. Let’s take a deeper look into the topic and see why this is happening.

Holiday Season Car Accident Stats

Cars traveling during the holiday have the highest rate of deaths among all the other modes of transportation. Of course, this is a serious problem all year round, but it’s even more of an issue during the holidays when people travel to see relatives and friends for the occasion. The National Safety Council (NSC) has estimated that about 340 people may die in traffic accidents on US roads. In addition, the council further estimates about 384 people may lose their lives during the upcoming New Year’s holiday.

7 Most Common Car Accident Causes During the Holidays:

• End-of-Year Burnout

• Holiday Stress

• Wet, Icy, and Snowy Roads

• Increased Traffic Congestion

• Increased Nighttime Driving

• Drunk and Impaired Driving

• Driving on Unfamiliar Roads

While all of the above are factors, the most common cause of car accidents remains the use of alcohol and other drugs while driving.

When Holidays and Alcohol Mix

Drunk driving is the most common cause of fatal accidents on the road overall, but during the winter months, driving under the influence is even more common. The council’s statistics show that 38% of traffic fatalities during the 2019 Christmas holiday season involved at least one driver under the influence of alcohol. This is more than 10% compared to drunk driving rates for the rest of the same year. We advise that if you plan to drink during a holiday party, have a designated driver or use public transportation.