It seems to have happened in the blink of an eye, but ready or not, the holiday season is beginning. In fact, in law enforcement circles the Thanksgiving weekend begins tonight with what is known as Black Wednesday.
Tonight’s ominous moniker is derived from the fact that attendance is bars is heavy on the night before Thanksgiving, which means, of course, that there will likely be an abnormally high rate of motor vehicle crashes and injuries caused by drunk drivers.
However, as a news source points out, there are several other types of drivers likely to be out and about on the streets and roads in and around Crystal River over the next few days as well.
- Distracted drivers: the National Safety Council estimates that one in four traffic wrecks today involves the use of a phone. That means those drivers are preoccupied with texts, calls, emails or videos on their phones rather than the traffic and pedestrians near them.
- Speeding drivers: the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates that about 70 percent of fatal crashes involves excess speed.
- Drowsy drivers: these are people who got less than a good night’s sleep before hitting the road. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety estimates that fatigued drivers are involved in up to one in five fatal wrecks.
- Drugged drivers: like drunk drivers, these motorists are impaired and dangerous. Drugged driving has been steadily increasing in recent years, experts say, and now account for about 22 percent of all auto accidents.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by an impaired, distracted or drowsy driver, speak with an attorney experienced and skilled in personal injury litigation.
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