Summer is the Most Dangerous Time to Drive. Or Walk. Or Bike.

You might expect that roads are safer in the summer, with longer daylight hours and freedom from hazards like snow and ice. It’s true that certain types of accidents are more common in winter. But summer brings its own special risks. 

Summer Driving Hazards

1. Teenage Drivers

AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA) describes the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day as the 100 deadliest days because of the jump in traffic fatalities involving teenage drivers. One reason for this increase is the increase in teen drivers on the road, and in unsupervised teen drivers, when school is out for the summer. 

The three most common causes of summertime teen driving fatalities are distracted driving, speeding, and drinking and driving. And the risk isn’t just to the teens–most people killed in teenage driver accidents are not the teenage driver.

1. Road Construction

Road construction increases risk because traffic patterns are disrupted, the environment is often cluttered and distracting, and road equipment can impact visibility. Lanes are often narrower than usual and may have barricades, abrupt drop-offs or other potential hazards if the vehicle drifts from the center of the lane. These risks are significantly aggravated when drivers don’t make appropriate adjustments or pay close attention in construction zones and when entering and exiting them. 

In one recent year, more than one in three construction zone accidents involved excessive speed, and one in five were rear end collisions.

1. Holiday-Related Drunk Driving Accidents

Certain holidays bring spikes in DUI accidents and drunk driving deaths, and three of the worst fall in the summer months: Memorial Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day. It’s probably not hard to see why fatal crashes on these holidays disproportionately involve alcohol, with cookouts involving alcohol often starting early in the day and people traveling for festivities. 

Alcohol isn’t the only holiday-related risk factor, either. Traffic is typically heavier, and events like outdoor festivals and fireworks often cause congestion. 

Exactly which of these three holidays has the highest fatality rate depends on where you are. In Massachusetts, it’s Labor Day, but in New Hampshire, Memorial Day takes the lead.  Overall, traffic deaths are highest on the 4th of July.

1. People are Everywhere

In the summer months, it’s only natural that there are more people outside. The weather is nice, there are more outdoor events, and kids are out of school for the summer.  That means more pedestrians, more bicyclists, more motorcycles and a lot of activity both on the road and adjacent to it. That requires increased vigilance on the part of drivers and those around them.

1. Increased Traffic

Vacation season increases traffic on the road, and that’s more true in some states than others. Tens of millions of people travel to Massachusetts in the summer months, including about 3.5 million to Cape Cod alone.  The congestion alone increases risks. That’s aggravated by the fact that many of these drivers are in unfamiliar areas, relying on GPS to let them know where to turn, looking for signage along the road, and not knowing when to expect a curve or a lane narrowing or a poorly-lighted stretch.

Most of us realize that we have to be extra careful when navigating unfamiliar territory, but it’s equally important to be cautious when you’re sharing the road with drivers who may be facing those challenges. 

Dialing Down the Danger

You can’t eliminate the risks on the road, but you can take steps to manage them. Most of the strategies for reducing the risks created by crowded roads, drunk drivers, heavier foot traffic and people traveling in unfamiliar territory are the same precautions you should take every time you get behind the wheel: 

• Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol or other substances
• Don’t drive when you are too tired to do so safely
• Observe speed limits and other traffic safety regulations, such as signaling lane changes
• Keep your attention on the road and on vehicles, pedestrians and others around you
• Slow down in construction zones and in areas with pedestrian and bicycle traffic
• Be sure to give pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists plenty of room
• Stay vigilant, and remember that you may be sharing the road with drivers who are in unfamiliar territory, fatigued, or even under the influence–don’t assume they’re attentive or will obey traffic laws

An Experienced Lowell Car Accident Lawyer is Your Best Resource

If you’ve been injured in a car accident or hit by a car because a driver was negligent–whether that means texting, driving under the influence, driving too fast, disregarding traffic signals, faulty vehicle maintenance or something else–you owe it to yourself to learn more about your rights and options. 

To learn more about how an experienced Lowell personal injury lawyer can protect your right to compensation, call The Broderick Law Firm now by calling 978-459-3085 or fill out our contact form.