Before the turkey emerges from the oven or the eggnog begins to flow, America’s families face one major hurdle every holiday: getting where they’re going. While there’s no substitute for reuniting with far-flung relatives, the journey to family can take its toll on holiday travelers. For Thanksgiving, an estimated 48.7 million Americans hit the road for treks of 50 miles or more in 2016. Between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, 93.6 million attempted a road trip, ensuring roads clogged with revelers across the country.
But holiday travel has a darker side than just tough traffic. Between the possibility of inclement weather, unfamiliar roads, and excessive alcohol consumption, the holidays actually produce elevated rates of deadly car accidents, which can quickly turn families’ seasons of joy to times of tragedy. To analyze the prevalence of this troubling trend, we studied fatal accident data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration during the holidays throughout 2016. Our findings show how risky holiday driving can be, and where travelers face the most danger throughout the country. Keep reading to learn more.
Holiday heartbreak
When it came to the number of fatal accidents per capita that occurred during the holidays, the South was rife with tragic outcomes. Mississippi led all states in fatal crashes during the holidays, with more than two accidents per 100,000 residents. Alabama, Arkansas, and South Carolina also saw strikingly high rates, while New Mexico rounded out the top five. These findings in warm states may surprise those who assume cold weather conditions like snow or sleet contribute to fatal holiday crashes. However, in many of these Southern states, summer holidays prove most deadly. Alabama, for instance, saw eight traffic fatalities over the Fourth of July weekend in 2017.
Conversely, the Northeast and Midwest were relative bastions of safety. Rhode Island was the safest holiday driving location – perhaps due, in part, to the state’s recent efforts to urge safe holiday driving upon its residents. Washington, the safest West Coast location for holiday driving, has set its sights beyond just the year’s most driving-intensive days. Its ambitious “Target Zero” plan aims to eliminate driving fatalities and serious injuries entirely by 2030, and its excellent holiday driving record seems like a good start.
Out of state, in danger
Next, we considered how drivers from each state fared when they traveled elsewhere on the holidays. Wyoming drivers were involved in the most deadly holiday accidents per capita by far. Perhaps drivers from that state, accustomed to rural driving, struggled in the unfamiliar crush of holiday traffic. On the other hand, drivers in Washington, D.C., ranked second in fatal accidents caused outside of the district, proving metropolitan types can also struggle on new or different roads. In fact, the states ranked highest in this regard varied widely in location, from Rhode Island in the east to Nevada in the west.
On the other end of the spectrum, the West Coast acquitted itself well, with Oregon and California drivers involved in the least fatal crashes while in other states. The Golden State may feel some vindication in this distinction, as California’s drivers are often the subjects of intense criticism. Beyond these West Coast states, however, no single region claimed best driving rights, with Iowa, Kentucky, and Colorado rounding out the top five.
The deadliest driving conditions
Perhaps out-of-state accidents occur when drivers encounter unfamiliar weather conditions in addition to new terrain. However, our results told a surprisingly different tale when we considered the conditions in which fatal accidents involving drivers from other states occurred. In rain, for instance, it was South Dakota and Arkansas drivers who fared the worst, rather than those from notoriously dry states, as one might expect. Similarly, drivers from the Mountain region accounted for the top three who seemed to struggle in snowy conditions while in other states, despite dealing with it often at home.
In low-visibility conditions, such as fog, smog, and smoke, New Englanders proved surprisingly accident-prone, despite Vermont and Rhode Island’s propensity to get quite foggy at times. In cloudy conditions, North Dakota drivers were involved in the greatest number of fatal collisions per capita outside of their state’s borders, just ahead of Arkansas and Kansas.
The most hazardous holidays
Despite the massive travel related to Christmas and the threat of snowy weather, winter was not the most dangerous season for holiday driving. In fact, the two deadliest driving holidays – Fourth of July and Memorial Day – occur in some of the year’s warmest months nationwide. Experts have identified many driving risks associated with the Fourth of July specifically, ranging from heavy drinking to the distraction caused by fireworks. Others say good weather encourages more drivers to hit the road, explaining high rates of accidents once things warm up around Memorial Day.
Thanksgiving had a surprisingly good record for deadly accidents, accounting for just under 6 percent of fatal crashes overall. Christmas accounted for more than 1 in 10 accidents, but still ranked sixth for the deadliest holidays. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day also saw relatively few fatal crashes – despite their reputation as boozy celebrations.
Dangerous occasions
On the West Coast, Memorial Day was uniformly the most deadly holiday for fatal crashes. Elsewhere, Labor Day was the worst day for holiday-related fatal crashes in no fewer than 10 states (counting ties), including New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois.
Columbus Day was the most deadly holiday in nine states as well, wreaking havoc in places like Maine and New Mexico. Once again, our data demonstrate the relative safety of Christmas, which proved deadliest in just four places, and Thanksgiving, which did not have the highest rate of holiday-related driving fatalities in any state. Perhaps during these major holidays, drivers stay overnight at their destinations, rather than attempting a return trip after celebrating.
Under the influence nationwide
While drunk driving during these holidays concerns law enforcement nationwide, some states found particular days more challenging than others. Mississippi had the highest rates of holiday-related fatal car accidents involving alcohol on both Presidents Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and ranked among the top five states for four other holidays. Arkansas also saw dramatic problems during multiple holidays, with the highest rate of alcohol-related driving fatalities on Christmas and the second highest rate on Memorial Day.
Other states seemed to struggle on specific holidays, such as Vermont’s rate of alcohol-related fatal crashes on Memorial Day. Similarly, Hawaii had the highest rate on the Fourth of July but appeared in the top five for no other holiday. To combat this trend, AAA offered a “Tipsy Tow” service throughout the state on Independence Day 2017, allowing drivers to ride home without actually operating their vehicles.
Safe through the holiday season
Avvo hopes these findings encourage drivers nationwide to consider the elevated risks on the roads during the busy holiday travel season. Conscientious driving is valuable on any trip, but this data demonstrates just how much additional safety precautions could improve overall road safety during these massive travel days.
Of course, no matter how carefully people intend to drive during their holiday travels, sometimes mistakes happen. If you’re interested in seeking legal help or finding out information regarding your situation on the road, online legal services marketplace Avvo can help you determine your legal options and find a lawyer. Learn more about how Avvo can help here.
About this report
Avvo conducts periodic studies of topics at the intersection of lifestyle and the law to better understand the issues facing individuals engaging with lawyers and the legal system.
Given that traffic law is one of the most common needs for legal help in the United States, understanding state driving laws, personal injury and accident coverage, and liabilities for drivers and passengers involved is beneficial to the legal consumers and attorneys whom Avvo services.
Avvo offers consumers legal help on-demand with fixed-fee, limited scope legal services from a local, experienced attorney of their choice, such as a traffic advice session. Avvo lawyers additionally answer questions about traffic laws and personal injury cases in the company’s Q&A forum for free every day and are featured in the Avvo directory, which includes consumer reviews and detailed profiles for 97% of licensed attorneys in the United States.
Methodology
The findings in this report are based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Data was collected to assess the type and volume of fatal accidents between January 1st and December 31st in 2016. Data were then indexed against U.S. Census data by region/state to determine per-capita numbers.
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