Straight Talk Law: Seattle, Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Jason Epstein On Safe Summer Driving

Holidays were created to allow us to relax from our everyday cares and woes and enjoy ourselves with friends and families. Unfortunately, as a personal injury attorney practicing in Seattle, Washington, I see the other tragic side of these yearly festivities – a spike in car and motorcycle accidents, as well as a slew of cases involving personal injury and wrongful death.

It’s no secret that holiday driving can be deadly. We’re usually warned on the news about upcoming holiday weekends – the additional traffic put together with people celebrating a little too much can make a dangerous combination.

But here’s a statistic that might surprise you. While the most car accidents usually happen between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, the single most dangerous day of the year to drive is the 4th of July. And the second worst? July 3rd. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 41 percent of those deaths are caused by alcohol.

If July 4th is the deadliest day to drive, what’s the deadliest month? Again, you’ll probably be surprised to learn that it’s August – a month that contains absolutely no holidays. It is, however, when the most drivers take to the road, mostly for vacation trips.

Here are a few basic safe summer driving tips to make sure you and your family enjoy the vacation for which you’ve waited all year:

• PREP YOUR CAR – Before you even back out of your driveway, make sure your car is ready for your trip, especially if it’s going to be a long one. Check fluid levels, get an oil change if its time, check your lights and tires, and address any other ongoing mechanical problems that you may have been putting off. You won’t want to have to try and get them attended to if you break down in the middle of nowhere!

• STOCK UP ON SUPPLIES – Remember that middle-of-nowhere scenario we just mentioned above – and make sure you have everything you might need in your vehicle in case it happens to you. That includes an emergency road kit, a first aid kit (one that’s not twenty years old!), some cash, a flashlight, food and water, and anything else that might come in handy.

• KNOW WHEN TO PULL OVER – On long driving trips, we’re often so anxious to get there, we ignore our own fatigue. Sleepiness leads to many car accidents that cause personal injury and wrongful death. Don’t endanger yourself, your loved ones and other innocent motorists on the road – either pull over for a nap or check into a motel for the night. It’s better to get to your destination a little later rather than not at all.

• KEEP YOUR COOL – Driving in the heat on overcrowded roads – and facing numerous highway construction slowdowns – can sometimes cause drivers to overreact. Be polite and try to shrug off those who aren’t. Road rage only puts you and your passengers in peril without solving anything.

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