The holiday season is full of family, fun, and goodwill, but it has a darker side.  The number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities skyrockets faster than eight tiny reindeer.

Spirited Statistics:

On average from 2001 to 2005 (the last year that complete data is available), about 40 percent of all traffic fatalities during the Christmas and New Year holiday period have occurred in automobile crashes where at least one of the involved drivers was under the influence of alcohol.  That is compared to about 28 percent of all fatalities during the rest of December.

During the December - January holiday period, young drivers (ages 16 to 20) and adult male drivers (ages 21 to 34) are involved in a high number of alcohol-related accidents.

On average, the number of fatalities per day for New Year’s Day is much higher (almost twice) than that for Christmas Day and for the rest of December.*

Protect yourself, your children, and your vehicle by insuring your vehicle with the appropriate amount of medical and comprehensive car insurance coverage and follow the tips below to keep your holidays bright this year.

How to Keep your Holiday Season Safe

NEVER drive impaired:

• Don't forget that buzzed driving is drunk driving - even if you're just driving around the block.

• If you plan on drinking, plan on staying - or car-pool with other friends or family members.
• Keep your family safe by making sure they don't get behind the wheel while impaired, either.
  

Be a responsible driver:

• Slow down in residential neighborhoods.

• Obey all traffic signs and signals.
• Watch for pedestrians walking in the street or on medians and curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleyways slowly and carefully.
• Teach children to exit and enter the car on the curbside, away from traffic.
• Buckle Up!  For every one percent increase in safety belt use, 172 lives and close to $100 million in annual injury and death costs could be saved.

Don’t be the cause of a vehicle accident this holiday season by:

• Reckless and/or negligent driving

• Texting or talking on your cell phone when driving
• Any inattentiveness to the road and other vehicles (i.e., tuning the radio, chatting with passengers, etc.)

Always practice safe driving, especially since a good driving record may mean a lower auto insurance rate. Learn about how to save with Car Insurance Discounts that may surprise you with an extra present under the tree if you qualify!

Have a safe and magical holiday season!

* Source: National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)

This article sponsored by 21st Century Insurance.

 

 

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• Safety - Child Safety
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• safe driving

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