ValuePenguin recently analyzed traffic accident data published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from fatal motor vehicle accidents that occurred during the holiday season for the years 2010 through 2019.
Statistics Show More Fatal Auto Accidents on Christmas
The analysis looked at the five-day periods surrounding both Thanksgiving and Christmas – the two days before and the two days after each holiday. The numbers showed that about 64 percent of all fatal accidents during these 10 days took place around the Christmas holiday, while the other 36 percent occurred around the Thanksgiving holiday.
Drunk Driving Contributes to Many Christmas Motor Vehicle Accident Fatalities
Although the data revealed a stark difference in the rates of motor vehicle accident fatalities on Christmas compared to Thanksgiving, the analysis also showed that drunk driving contributed equally to fatal auto accidents on Thanksgiving and Christmas. In other words, the percentage of total fatal crashes on Thanksgiving and Christmas where drunk driving was a cause or contributing factor was roughly equal.
While states like Connecticut, Texas, and Rhode Island had the highest rates of drunk driving contributing to fatal auto accidents (over 40 percent), in Florida only 29 percent of motor vehicle accidents had drunk driving as a cause or contributing factor.
Other Causes and Contributing Factors for Christmastime Accidents
One of the other leading causes of fatal motor vehicle accidents during the holidays is speeding. Like drunk driving, speeding was a cause or contributing factor to an equal percentage of fatal vehicle crashes on both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
In Rhode Island, speeding was a cause or contributing factor in a majority of fatal motor vehicle accidents. Speeding also caused or contributed to nearly half of fatal Christmastime accidents in states like Kansas, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. However, according to the data analyzed by ValuePenguin, speeding was a cause or contributing factor to holiday-time fatal motor vehicle accidents in Florida in only about 11 percent of cases.
What Are Your Rights If You or a Loved One Are Injured in an Auto Accident During the Holidays?
If you are hurt in a motor vehicle crash during the holiday season that was caused by another driver’s negligence or recklessness, you may be entitled to recover compensation for expenses and losses you sustained due to the crash. This includes compensation for:
- Costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries and other procedures, physical therapy, or prescription medication.
- Lost wages or income if you have to miss time from work while treating or rehabilitating your injuries.
- Loss of future earning capacity, due to permanent disabilities impacting your ability to return to work after an accident.
- Pain and suffering, and lost quality of life.
In addition, if you and your family have lost a loved one in a fatal car crash during the holidays, your family may be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Loss of your loved one’s financial support to the family or household
- Loss of your loved one’s companionship, society, affection, and guidance
- Last medical expenses, and funeral and burial expenses.
- Emotional pain and grief experienced from your loved one’s passing
Contact a Lake Worth Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Auto Accident Case in Florida
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to an auto accident in Florida? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A. represent clients injured because of auto accidents in Miramar, Coral Springs, Davie, Boca Raton, and throughout Florida. Call (561) 533-0345 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 813 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth, FL 33460, as well as offices in Pompano Beach.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.