As you may know, there is a noticeable uptick in car accidents during the holiday season. An increased number of people hitting the road during the festive season is not the only factor responsible for the spike in car crashes in Pennsylvania and all across the U.S. during the holidays.
“So what is it then?” you may be wondering. Our Philadelphia car accident lawyer from Dan Doyle Law Group says that apart from drunk driving, which is one of the leading causes of car accidents during the holiday season, distracted driving also tops the list of the most common causes of motor vehicle crashes during the holidays.
So are there more car accidents simply because people use their cell phones more frequently during the holiday season than at any other time of year? Not exactly. There are many factors contributing to distracted driving, and we invited our car accident lawyer Philadelphia to list some of the most common factors:
- Increased travel and busy schedules make it more difficult to stay focused on the road because a driver is overwhelmed by all the thoughts, stress and fatigue (which are almost synonymous with the holiday season);
- Lack of sleep may result in poor judgement, causing the driver to miss turns, road signs, motorway exits and other relevant information to get to the destination (which, in turn, will prompt the driver to take his/her eyes off the road to check his or her map or GPS more frequently);
- Grooming or applying makeup (because everyone is always in a hurry and late for holiday parties and family gatherings during the holiday season, and we all want to look fabulous even if it means that you have to take your eyes off the road or even take your hands off the wheel);
- Switching the radio station (because listening to this depressing song during the festive season is no good; you want to feel the Christmas spirit);
- Responding to a text message from your family member or friend, who is worried about you because you are already two hours late;
- Crossing off the names of your family members and friends from your shopping list (after all, it’s always confusing who gets what for Christmas, and you do not want to forget to buy a Christmas present for your uncle);
- Navigating the GPS (because it looks like you are driving in the wrong direction!);
- Eating a burger from McDonald’s while operating a vehicle (because you know that the host of the holiday party is a terrible cook);
- Getting distracted by surrounding pedestrians or objects (if you spend too much time looking at a man dressed as Santa Claus trying to figure out if he’s real or not, do not be surprised if someone rear-ends you);
- Talking to passengers in the vehicle (sure, your friend has the most fascinating story, but make sure you stay focused on the road; after all, if the story is truly fascinating you will get a chance to hear it because your friend will be talking about it non-stop throughout the evening); or
- Engaging in any other distracting activity, i.e. wrapping a Christmas gift while operating a car or trying to finish your last-minute DIY present for your uncle (yep, you forgot to buy him a present after all).
As you can see, there are plenty of factors contributing to distracted driving during the holidays. If you get into a car crash during the festive season, do not let it ruin your holidays. Call our Philadelphia car accident lawyer from Dan Doyle Law Group to speak about your particular case. Get a free consultation by calling at 215-987-3730.