Study Shows Memorial Day Deadliest Holiday for Car Accidents

Memorial Day weekend is in the rearview mirror for this year, but on an annual basis, it is the deadliest weekend of the year for auto accidents. According to a study by ValuePenguin, a person is four times more likely to die in a car crash over Memorial Day weekend than any other weekend of the year.

To determine this level of risk, the website compared traffic deaths over all the major holidays based on statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Memorial Day weekend had an average of 312 fatal accidents per year between 2011 and 2015. Labor Day averaged 308, while the Fourth of July averaged 307.

Driving over the weekend for a summer holiday was much more dangerous than driving on any regular weekend at any time of the year. It’s worth noting that the deadliest single day in the study was July 4.

The reason these holidays tend to be more dangerous on our roads than standard weekends is simple — there are far more travelers. According to auto club AAA, about 39.3 million Americans travel 50 miles or more over Memorial Day weekend, and about 34.6 million of those people will be traveling via automobile.

Stay safe when traveling during the holidays

Most people will not be deterred from traveling simply because of a greater likelihood of getting into a car accident. Therefore, it’s important to keep safety at the forefront of your mind at all times if you are planning on driving when the roads are packed with other vehicles. Drivers should never, ever get behind the wheel while intoxicated, and they should never text or browse the web while behind the wheel. If you must use your phone, pull over to the side of the road or head off at a highway exit first.

If you have been involved in a car accident you believe was the result of negligence, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at Jakubowski, Robertson, Maffei, Goldsmith & Tartaglia, LLP.