It’s spring, and that means spring vacations and family travel. Whether you’re heading out of state to visit relatives for a week or to Disneyland, you may be one of many families out there on the road in the next few weeks.
The travel and traffic will continue to pick up as the summer approaches. Unfortunately, that also increases your chances of ending up in a wreck.
Vacations can be fun, but you need to be extra careful on the road
What makes holiday travel so risky? Partially, it’s the fact that there are a lot more drivers out there than usual who aren’t 100% familiar with the roads they’re using – including you. It’s hard to focus on the traffic when you’re also trying to navigate.
However, that’s a relatively minor problem compared to these dangers:
- Drunk drivers: There are lots of college students on spring break during this season, and students are known to binge drink throughout their vacations. Some of them may be sharing the road with you while they’re impaired.
- Distracted drivers: It can be hard for drivers to keep their eyes and minds on the road when they’re also checking out the attractions, looking for a restaurant or trying to find a hotel – and distracted driving can become epidemic in hot vacation spots.
- Fatigued drivers: The pressure to “just get there” can be fierce, but drivers may push themselves too hard. Fatigued drivers can zone out, fall asleep or simply have slow response times that put them at risk of a wreck.
- Pressured drivers: Are you operating on a specific time table? Even if you aren’t, there are probably tons of drivers out there worried about making a check-in time, a meet-up with family or a plane. That can make them less attentive to their driving.
If you’re in a car crash while on vacation, you need to protect your right to obtain fair compensation for your losses. Make sure that you get immediate treatment for your injuries and find out more about your legal options.