Easter weekend is a popular travel holiday that ranks among the nation’s deadliest holidays for road-going accidents. It coincides with many college spring break schedules, which means more vehicles on the road heading to popular spring break destinations in New Jersey.
The dangers of driving over the Easter holiday weekend are surpassed only by the dangers posed by the biggest travel holidays of the year. The holidays ranked as deadlier than Easter are:
- New Year’s.
- Thanksgiving.
- Memorial Day.
- Fourth of July.
- Christmas.
Holiday traffic generally is dangerous, and sees an approximate 37 percent increase in fatal accidents on New Jersey roads. Among the nation’s 50 states, New Jersey experiences the 13th largest increase in fatal accidents on holidays.
New Jersey motorists average 2.16 fatalities per day on holidays, a figure up from an approximate 1.5 traffic fatalities per day under normal circumstances.
What Makes Easter Weekend Travel Dangerous?
Easter weekend is a three-day holiday in New Jersey, running from Good Friday through Easter Sunday. Those three days of extra traffic can add up to a lot of fatalities and even more accidents. Contributing to the driving dangers are:
- Congested roadways.
- Bad weather.
- Sun glare.
- Drunk driving.
- Poorly-maintained vehicles.
Holidays often result in rushed schedules and driving long distances after long workdays. Spring break traffic contributes to dangerous driving conditions during Easter weekend as many college students take advantage of the long weekend with road trips to the world-famous Jersey Shore.
How Can I Make My Easter Weekend Travels Safer?
The Easter holiday starts on April 15 on Good Friday and runs through Easter Sunday on April 17. Planning your holiday in advance provides ample opportunity for you to make your holiday travels safer.
- Get a good night’s sleep prior to your travel day. Unless you have a short drive to your holiday destination, it is best to avoid traveling after a long day of work. Doing that could cause you to feel fatigued and raise the chances of causing an accident.
- Maintain your vehicle prior to heading out. That includes checking and replacing the wiper blades if they are worn out and topping off the wiper fluid. An oil change, inspecting the brakes, and a wheel balance and rotation are generally affordable and good ways to help boost safety.
- Test your turn signals, taillights, and brake lights to avoid being involved in a vehicular accident caused by faulty signals.
- Abide by the posted speed limits. Exceeding the speed limit is a significant factor in causing injuries and deaths in vehicular accidents. Traveling at the posted speed limit and matching general speed of traffic can improve the odds of staying safe.
- Maintain a safe following distance by driving at least two car lengths behind a vehicle in front of you. If it is raining, or if visibility is poor, you should increase the following distance by doubling your following distance, which can help you stop safely and react appropriately if a vehicle ahead of you stops suddenly.
Mt. Laurel Car Accident Attorneys at the Law Office of David S. Rochman Can Help Accident Survivors
Your best efforts to stay safe during holiday travels could still be ruined by a drunk driver or an otherwise negligent motorist. You can get help from one of our experienced Mt. Laurel Car Accident Attorneys at the Law Office of David S. Rochman. You can call 856-751-2345 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation at our law office in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. We represent clients in Mt. Laurel and surrounding areas.