New Year’s Eve Driving Tips

 Posted on December 29, 2013 in Personal Injury

Whether you’re headed out to an event this New Year’s Eve or just might have to run an errand that night, it pays to be safe on one of the most dangerous driving holidays of the year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, while about 36 fatalities might occur on a given driving day, that number increases to 54 per day around New Year’s. Make sure you’re safe on the roads in order to avoid a major car accident and the serious injuries that can result from collisions.

Plan ahead by thinking about using alternative methods to get to your destination. Using public transportation or a cab takes all the pressure off of you as far as identifying a designated driver. Before you head out for the night, store numbers of a few cab companies in your phone so they are at the ready just in case. If it’s easier to just stay overnight, book a hotel close to your holiday party and skip driving that evening entirely.

If you are on the roads, mind your speed and keep your eyes out for any suspicious behavior. If you witness someone driving the wrong direction on the road, swerving in and out of traffic lanes, or other examples of erratic behavior, report it. The combination of winter weather conditions and increased drinking activity can be a deadly mix for pedestrians and vehicle passengers trying to share the road.

Make sure you keep an eye on family members and friends attending the same event as you and offer to include them in your getting-home plans. Don’t ever let a friend leave to drive home drunk. Drunk driving accidents can produce gruesome accident scenes with serious injuries. If you have been injured in a drunk driving accident, you need the advice of a DuPage County personal injury attorney.