Many Floridians are preparing their schedules and refrigerators for Thanksgiving and Christmas. These two end of the year holidays often emphasize families traveling to different cities and states to get together for a massive celebration. Some book their flights in advance while others drive for hours in the car to save money while reaching their destination. The problem is, roads at this time are busier than usual, attention spans are fragmented, and the festive nature of the season opens the door to drunk driving.

With thousands of people on the roads, these two holidays prove to be some of the deadliest for motorists. It is important for local residents to be aware of the various drivers in the state to look out for so they can properly enjoy their days off with their family members instead of in a hospital bed.

Tourists

Many of the upper states begin to grow very cold during November. Florida is one of the few states where you can still take your boat out for a spin after work and T-shirts are all still OK to wear. Last year, the AAA deemed Orlando and Fort Lauderdale to be two of the top 10 holiday destinations in the country as they also found nearly 51 million Americans were traveling during Thanksgiving in 2017.

The whole state of Florida becomes congested with tourists in November and December. The northern parts have to deal with those driving from Alabama or Georgia to get to Disney World or a beach. Their unfamiliarity with the state’s roads or drowsiness from driving for hours could put many local drivers at risk.

Be careful if you come across a car that is packed with luggage so high you can see it in the windows. Instances of swerving or inconsistent speeds from the other vehicle could be signs of distraction or drowsiness.

Drunk driving threat

Drunk drivers tend to be one of the leading causes of driver deaths in several states and Florida is no exception. Drunk driving accidents often happen during weekend nights, and Thanksgiving is essentially an extended weekend on days with a minimal amount of sunlight. It’s gotten so bad that many deem the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to be “Blackout Wednesday,” as many drink heavily on Thanksgiving Eve to celebrate not having work the next day. This is not even including the number of people who drink during their Thanksgiving feast or while watching the football game.

The celebratory nature of Thanksgiving and Christmas often leads to thousands of accidents on these pleasant holidays. Florida already is one of the leading states in motor vehicle fatalities during the year, so residents should take extra precautions if they want to spend their time on the road safely during November and December. Those who suffer from a reckless accident during this period, be it from drunk driving or distracted driving, may be able to seek compensation with legal assistance.