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Types of distracted drivers you will find over the holidays

by | Nov 23, 2018 | Uncategorized

The holiday season is the perfect time to bring people closer together. Unfortunately, it also brings thousands of drivers and their vehicles closer together as well. In the last 5 years, December has had the third most amount of reported motor vehicle crashes (https://connect.ncdot.gov/business/DMV/DMV%20Documents/2017%20Crash%20Facts.pdf) out of all the months in North Carolina.

With the amount of traveling and shopping going on during the holiday season, drivers of all sorts of skill levels and experience take to the roads. It also brings about several distracted drivers that are not seen as often during the year. As you make your daily commutes, get your Christmas shopping done and prepare your trip to Grandma’s house, you should be aware of these dangerous drivers you will share the streets with.

Impatient shoppers

Getting a spot in a parking lot is not just for last minute shoppers to worry about. Malls and department stores are busy throughout the entire month of December with holiday deals for people purchasing gifts for their families. This makes parking lots more dangerous than ever, as drivers trying to find a good spot will not pay attention to the road in front of them. Any nearby car or pedestrian in their lane could be at risk from their negligence.

The National Safety Council estimates that more than 50,000 crashes occur in parking lots and garages annually. Even if you might not be a big fan of walking in the colder weather, it may be necessary to park towards the back to avoid dealing with minutes of finding spots and getting into a serious accident.

Tired and lost travelers

Christmas is one of the most popular times of the year for people to spend hours on the road traveling to different states and cities. With how high airline prices are climbing up, more people are taking their cars to see their loved ones and are beginning to plan how to fit everything in their car.

Traveling for hours can bring about many issues while driving. If the driver is by themselves or has no one to replace them after a couple hours, they could risk drifting to sleep behind the wheel. They could also spend valuable seconds checking their GPS or map to see if they are going in the right direction or turning around to silence their kids in the back seat. If you plan on traveling to a loved one’s house during your days off, choose a reasonable time to leave and make sure to give yourself enough breaks to lessen your chances of making a mistake while driving.

With how much work you put in the year, you do not deserve to be spending your holidays in the hospital. Legal assistance is available if you receive serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident to acquire proper coverage for your damages.