California Highway Patrol Braces For High Accident-risk Holiday Season
It's Thanksgiving season, and millions of travelers around California will begin driving across the state to visit friends and family
. For the California Highway Patrol and local enforcement agencies however, the four day weekend promises more numbers of drivers on the streets, congested traffic, incidents of road rage, and speeding and drunk driver. By all accounts, the California Highway Patrol has a greater challenge on its hands this year, than it did in 2008.Last year, gas prices peaked during this time, ensuring that there were fewer vehicles on the road. Thanksgiving also coincided with the onset of the recession, and many people preferred to save money in uncertain economic times, rather than spend on gasoline.
This year however, there are expected to be more numbers of travelers on California's highways. Gas prices have stabilized, and according to the Los Angeles Times, are expected to stay stable over the holiday weekend. AAA Northern California has released the results of a travel survey that indicate that more than 3.5 million Californians will travel approximately 50 miles over the four-day weekend. That figure is an increase of 8 percent over the same period in 2008. Approximately 3 million Californians will travel by vehicle over the weekend, which is an increase of 9 percent over last year. Besides, more than a quarter million Californians will travel by boats, trains and other modes of transportation.
The willingness to travel this year is linked not just to lower gas prices than in 2008, but also increased confidence about the economy as the markets begin to bounce back. There is a general feeling among people that the worst of the recession is behind them, and this is likely to contribute to increased holiday travel.
With those kinds of numbers on the highway, the California Highway Patrol has begun to warn motorists of the need for care and attention on the road. The CHP is calling on travelers to use common sense and buckle up on the road. This applies not just to motorists and front seat passengers, but also back seat occupants. Seatbelt usage tends to be lower among back seat occupants than drivers and front seat passengers. The deadly Thanksgiving weekend, when there are likely to be more auto accidents, is not the time to be lazy and careless about seatbelt use. The California Highway Patrol is also encouraging motorists to be careful with their drinks. If you plan on drinking during Thanksgiving, make sure you have someone drive you home.
The Thanksgiving holiday is the deadliest holiday of the year. Last year, 33 people were killed in California over the four-day weekend. Nationwide, 389 people died in auto accidents during the holiday. CHP officers will be patrolling from 6pm on November 25th to midnight on November 29th, focusing on seatbelt violations and drunk driving. California personal injury lawyers would advise motorists to buckle up, drive sober, stay within speed limits, and have a great Thanksgiving!
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