Estimates Unclear for 2021 Due to COVID-19
The July 4th holidy usually causes a spike in car accidents throughout the nation and it’s not hard to see why. The holiday has long been associated with parties and alcohol consumption (in addition to Independence from Britain!). Long weekends lend themselves to more people driving to visit family or friends which means more cars on the road and statistically more chances for automobile accidents.
Here’s to Tustin celbrating July 4 safely!
One source reports that Americans purchase over 68 million cases of beer just for this holiday alone and that doesn’t account for all the other types of alcohol purchased and consumed. With more cars on our Orange County freeways and with alcohol added to the mix it’s even more important to be alert when driving this 4th of July weekend.
Statistics show that July 3 also has a higher than average death rate due to vehicle accidents. It’s not just the actual day of the 4th but the day before when (as any Southern California driver can tell you) just about everybody is on the road trying to get out of town (whichever town that is) and to their holiday destination.
In recent years (2018 for example) the number of people killed in July 4th car crashes that involved at least one alcohol-impaired person was up. In 2018 it was 40% compared to 38% the previous year. Also, more the 70% of those who died were in crashed where the impaired person has an alcohol level of .15 or higher.
We have repeatedly tried to warn our Tustin neighbors and everyone else in Orange County to take extra care on weekends and holidays such as this one. We’d rather everyone enjoyed the holiday and started the next week with absolutely no new accident statistics than to receive a call from someone who suffered a serious injury in a motor vehicle accident. As the saying goes “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and though we fight to protect our injured clients’ rights and get them the full and fair compensation they deserve, it would be better for all if the collision and injuries hadn’t occurred in the first place.
Predictions for the number of accidents we can expect for July 2021 is unknown due to the effects of the Coronavirus. It remains to be seen if there will be as much or more traffic and/or alcohol consumption as in pre-pandemic years. If anecdotal evidence is any guide, looking at the increased levels of air travel in recent months we can probably expect higher traffic levels. People are simply tired of being cooped up at home and are itching to celebrate our reopened state (and the holiday) with friend and family.
If traffic levels do increase we can at least take as many safety precautions as possible which includes the use of safety belts. As the Injury Facts website states, traffic accident fatalities are reduced 45% when seat belts are worn. Using a safety belt when driving may mean the difference between injury and death and there’s really no reason not to use them.
We wish all our neighbors here in Tustin a happy and safe 4th of July and we hope for an uneventful holiday. If, however, you happen to experience an automobile accident caused by someone else’s negligence we want you to know that you have a resource in Tustin that is Kyle Scott Law. Give us a call and put your mind at ease. Dealing with the legal system needn’t be a hassle and you shouldn’t have to worry about which lawyer you want representing you. With 3 decades of Orange County law practice, Kyle Scott is the obvious choice. And you’ll pay nothing unless we win or settle your accident case. If you are hurt, we can help! Call today: 714-544-1460/