Tag Archive for: car accident

The Heightened Risk of Car Accidents During the Holidays

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No matter how early in the year you begin getting ready for the holidays, there never seems to be enough time. Between holiday parties, Christmas gift shopping, school performances, and other obligations, you may feel like you live in your car. Unfortunately, the same is true for many other people in and around West Chester—and that means more people on the road than you’re used to. There’s an increase in car accidents around every major holiday, and it’s important to know why this happens and how you can protect yourself.

If you or someone you love has been hurt in a car crash, let the team at Kingbird Legal help you. Call us at 484-289-4880 to set up a consultation now.

Dense Traffic and Congestion on the Roads

A big part of the increase in accidents is traffic congestion. Everyone is just as busy as you are, and that means that the roads are packed. People are rushing and taking unnecessary risks, making every trip a little more dangerous for everyone. Even a trip to the local shopping mall can be fraught with risk as shoppers battle over the last available parking spot.

It’s especially important to plan for dense traffic on major travel days around the holidays. This includes the holidays themselves and the couple of days before and after. Christmas is one of the most dangerous holidays for car travel, per the National Safety Council. In 2022, the NSC predicted 346 preventable fatalities in the Christmas Day period, which went from December 23 to December 26. Plan to leave early and give yourself extra time, and if possible, avoid the days immediately before and after the holidays.

Inclement Weather

Christmas weather can be unpredictable, especially around Washington DC. When the roads are slick and visibility is marred by blowing snow, it’s not uncommon to see cars in the ditches as you drive on the highway. Even those who have lived in snowy areas their whole lives seem to go through a readjustment period during the first snow of the season. Make sure you have everything you need for safe winter driving, including working windshield wipers, an ice scraper, and warm clothes if your car breaks down. When the weather is unpredictable, give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination and choose main roads over back roads that are often last to be cleaned.

Substance Use

Holiday parties can be the highlight of the Christmas season, but they can also lead to an increase in impaired drivers on the road. When partygoers celebrate with champagne and eggnog, they may overestimate their driving skills and try to get themselves home. These unsafe choices lead to preventable injuries and deaths every single year. If you are planning on drinking at holiday parties, have a plan in place before you reach your destination. Maybe you’ll carpool with a designated driver or turn to Uber for a safe trip home. Never leave these decisions to the end of the night, because that makes it far more likely you’ll take unnecessary risks.

High Stress Levels

As fun as the holidays can be, they can also be incredibly stressful. People may be driving while stressing out over holiday finances, worrying about figuring out the holiday visit schedule and trying to figure out how they’re going to get everything done in time. What does this mean for you? It means that you’re likely sharing the roads with plenty of distracted drivers. They’re less likely to be focused on the road, and those who are focused on the road are more likely to react to delays or obstacles with aggression or even rage. In all of these situations, your chances of being involved in a serious accident are significantly higher. While you can’t control what other people do, you can ensure that you only drive when you have the mental capacity to do so safely.

Injured in a Crash? Contact Kingbird Legal Now

The sooner you connect with the team at Kingbird Legal, the sooner we can begin working on your case. Set up a free consultation right away by calling us at 484-289-4880 or filling out our online contact form.

The Impact of Road Rage on Car Accidents

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When you’re driving, few things are scarier than realizing you’re dealing with a road-raging driver. Maybe you got a little too close when you switched lanes, drove too slowly for their liking, or just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Regardless, there’s never an excuse for road rage. It dramatically increases the likelihood of an accident and has even led to shootings across the country.

If you’ve been involved in a road rage accident, you may be entitled to compensation from the at-fault driver. First, you’ll have to prove that they caused you harm. Let us help—call Kingbird Legal at 484-289-4880 to set up a time to talk to our team of car accident attorneys.

What is Road Rage?

This term refers to aggressive, violent, and provocative behavior exhibited by angry or stressed-out drivers. It covers a wide range of actions, from flipping off other drivers and tailgating them to following them to their destination or trying to egg them into responding. It often involves using your vehicle as a weapon, either by causing actual physical harm or making someone think that you’ll do so. Drivers who engage in road rage show an inherent disregard for others on the road, using their time behind the wheel to take out their anger, frustration, and stress on others.

How Road Rage Causes Car Accidents

Seeing all of the behaviors categorized as road rage, it is not a big surprise that they can increase the likelihood of an accident. Aggressive driving maneuvers are unpredictable and may cause other drivers to panic, causing them to lose control of their vehicle. Aggressive drivers are also at greater risk of losing control of their vehicles when they speed, weave in and out of traffic, or stop and start erratically.

Aggressive drivers are often flooded with adrenaline, which makes it hard to think clearly and respond appropriately to changes in circumstances. They may take unnecessary risks and fail to accurately assess the danger they are putting others in, leading to increasingly unsafe choices.

Road rage can even lead to violent confrontations. When one driver is angry enough to follow another to their destination, they can instigate a fight. This can also happen if the road-raging driver is aggressive enough to anger other drivers. This puts both at risk of assault and can cause collisions if a confrontation takes place on the side of the road.

Road Rage Can Contribute to More Severe Collisions

Not only does road rage cause accidents, but accidents caused by road rage are more likely to be severe in nature. Drivers in the throes of road rage are often driving far too fast for weather and traffic conditions. This contributes to the severity of a crash and often leads to more catastrophic injuries. 

When road rage incidents turn into violent confrontations, the damage is often worse—these altercations have occasionally led to shootings or caused secondary collisions that injured uninvolved people. Road rage is stressful for everyone involved, whether they are perpetuating it, victimized by it, or even just witnessing it. This creates a chaotic and stressful environment that puts everyone at greater risk of being involved in a crash.

Preventing Road Rage

There are several ways that people can minimize the risk of road rage and prevent accidents. Possible solutions include:

  • Focusing on individual responsibility and behavior: While it’s possible to improve infrastructure and other aspects of driving, it really comes down to each individual’s choices. By making road rage an unacceptable and societally shamed behavior, people can reduce the risk of others resorting to road rage when stuck in traffic.
  • Increasing enforcement of traffic laws: Traffic laws already forbid road rage, but they are not enforced as much as they should be. Law enforcement focusing on catching and detaining intentionally aggressive drivers could make the roads safer for everyone.
  • Increased reporting of dangerous drivers: Individuals who observe aggressive drivers can report them to the police to increase the likelihood of a traffic stop.
  • Infrastructure that limits traffic buildup: Bad traffic can trigger road rage. Infrastructure that’s appropriate for traffic density can reduce the risk of angry drivers.

Explore Your Legal Options After a Car Accident with Kingbird Legal

Ready to find out if you’re owed compensation after a car crash? The team at Kingbird Legal is here to help. Contact us online or give us a call at 484-289-4880 to set up a time to talk to our attorneys.