Alabama Injury Lawyers Wish You a Safe Fourth of July

Jun 28, 2012 - Car Accidents, Tuscaloosa by Cross & Smith

Officers throughout the state are gearing up for the big travel holiday.

Car accidents in Alabama will be a concern as everyone aims to get to and from their destination safely.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), more than 170 people are expected to be killed in traffic accidents during this holiday. In addition, experts are predicting that another 17,000 are going to be injured in motor vehicle accidents.

Holiday periods typically see some of the highest accident rates of the entire year. That’s because we’ve got so many more motorists trying to share the road. Keep your temper, obey the rules of the road, and practice the kind of safe driving habits that can help you and your family get there safely!

Our Alabama personal injury lawyers understand that Fourth of July travel is expected to be busier than it’s been in 5 years — despite the holiday falling in the middle of the week.

Some say that it’s the low gas prices. According to AAA, there are more than 42 million people who are expected to travel at least 50 miles from their home for their 2012 Fourth vacation plans. About 35 million of these people will be driving to their destination. Most drivers say that they’re even going to start their Fourth festivities before the work week even starts. So it’s likely going to be a long and congested holiday.

Officials are counting July 3rd through the 8th as this year’s official holiday period.

So when is everyone going to travel?

-About 25 percent of drivers will be heading out on the 29th of June, the Friday before the holiday.

-About 16 percent will be leaving on Saturday.

-Nearly 15 percent will be heading out on Sunday.

-More than 10 percent will set out on Monday.

-Less than 20 percent will head out the day before, on that Tuesday.

-About 16 percent will hit the road on the Fourth of July.

Those who are not driving will probably still be traveling, but not behind the wheel. About 3.2 million are expected to travel by air, which is a near 10 percent increase from the previous year.

Remember to be safe and alert during you Fourth of July travels. Make sure you plan ahead and take weather and traffic into consideration. Leave time for plenty of rest stops. Be sure to always wear a seat belt and keep your full attention on the road.

You’re probably going to be taking your kids on this year’s road trip with you, too. But can you handle the long road trip and how many times are they going to ask, “Are we there yet?” Typically a child will ask only nine times during a week-long vacation.

You can shoot that number up to nearly 13 times if your kid is under the age of 6.

More Blog Entries:

Car Accidents in Alabama a Summer Risk for Teens, Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog, June 13, 2012

Car Accident Risks Increase Over Memorial Day, Alabama Injury Attorneys Blog, May 23, 2012