Maryland Injury Attorney Blog
This Thanksgiving, as is the case every holiday season, law enforcement will be on the lookout to pull over speeders, reckless drivers, and drug- and alcohol-impaired drivers to prevent Maryland car accidents.
Though 2008 saw a decline in Thanksgiving travel, gas prices have stabilized to a level more drivers can live with, and the AAA predicts an uptick in holiday travel this year. That means more cars on Maryland’s roads and highways as people travel to and from our fair state to visit family. Other factors contributing to danger on Maryland roadways this holiday season:
> County and wildlife experts report that deer-vehicle collisions in Maryland occur in the thousands every year. Exact numbers are hard to gauge, as it’s unknown how many deer-car crashes occur that don’t get reported. Deer in the roadway are a concern for holiday drivers, particularly as dusk comes earlier with the days getting shorter, and animals are active at dawn and dusk.
> Thanksgiving, football, and alcohol go together like turkey and stuffing. Unfortunately, all that merry-making can turn lethal when someone who’s had too much holiday cheer picks up the keys and hits the road. Fatal drunk driving accidents ended the lives of 179 people in Maryland in 2007 (Source: NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts Maryland 2004 – 2007).
As Baltimore County car accident lawyers, we’ve seen how families can be torn apart when someone drinks and drives on the holiday or any other time in Maryland. A serious motor vehicle accident doesn’t just ruin someone’s holiday dinner. It can end a life or cause permanent, debilitating injury, such as brain and spine injury.
Whether you drive a motorcycle, car, truck or SUV — be safe out there this holiday season and avoid accidents. Take your time, drive defensively, be aware of what’s around you, and don’t give Maryland police a reason to pull you over.
AAA Thanksgiving travel forecast: Highways more crowded
CNNMoney.com on Yahoo! Finance Nov. 18, 2009
Earthspan.org: Assessment of Deer Vehicle Collisions in Maryland
Related Web Resources
AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety
St. Mary’s County Dept. of Public Works, Maryland: Deer Safety