Denver Personal Injury Attorney – Estimated 485 Road Fatalities During Thanksgiving Holiday Period – North Denver News

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in disruptive road safety trends this year, and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday season may not be an exception. The National Security Council estimates that up to 485 people can be killed on the streets during the four-day Thanksgiving holiday and another 55,300 can be seriously injured in accidents. The estimate is the highest the Thanksgiving Holiday Season Council has issued since 2008. If so, it would be the highest number of deaths the US has seen during a Thanksgiving holiday season in as long.

NSC’s monthly analysis showed that despite less traffic, the roads have become more deadly. While the number of deaths fell dramatically in the spring, the United States saw its death rate rise sharply – a statistic that shows how safe the roads are at any given time. In the first six months of 2020, the death rate was 20% higher than in the same period in 2019, although miles driven between January and June decreased by 17%. Overall, motor vehicle deaths were up an estimated 5% through September, with approximately 30,390 people killed since January.

Brad Freedberg, personal injury attorney in Denver, says the holidays can be a nightmare for families who are victims of drunk and distracted drivers. “When we see cases of unjustified death this time of year, the emotional trauma is severe. Memories come back at every Thanksgiving Day, Hanukkah, and every Christmas season.

This year’s estimate of the Thanksgiving holiday season is subject to increased volatility with a wider statistical confidence interval than usual due to the trends in 2020.

“We have stated several times this year that the open road should not be an open invitation to reckless driving,” said Lorraine M. Martin, President and CEO of the National Security Council. “We urge drivers to ensure their own safety when deciding to travel. If every driver slowed down, buckled their seat belts, drove sober and paid attention, we could have a fatal vacation, which is the only acceptable number. “

Alcohol is often a major contributor to fatal accidents on holiday weekends, including Thanksgiving. In 2018 – the last year of the data – 31% of fatal accidents during the holiday season involved an alcohol-disabled driver.

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Tips for safer Thanksgiving travel include:

• Practice defensive driving. Buckle up, designate a sober driver or arrange alternative transportation, get enough sleep to avoid fatigue, and drive carefully to avoid distractions.
• Realize the dangers of drug driving, including the harm caused by cannabis, opioids, and other substances
• Get involved with teenage driving habits with tips from DriveitHOME.org
• Learn more about your vehicle’s security systems and how to use them – resources can be found at MyCarDoesWhat.org
• Correct any recalls immediately and use ChecktoProtect.org to find out whether your vehicle is affected
• Join the Road to Zero Coalition, a group of 1,500+ organizations across the country focused on eliminating road deaths by 2050. Visit nsc.org/roadtozero to become a member.