Millions of people travel over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, making it one of the busiest times of the year on the road. Whether you're driving across town or across the country, we want you to arrive safely. The consequences of not wearing a seat belt can be fatal. During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2022, there were 326 people killed in traffic crashes, 43% were unbuckled. Remember one of the safest choices drivers and passengers can make is to buckle up. Seat belts save lives!
NHTSA would also like to remind everyone that buzzed driving is drunk driving. The Thanksgiving period begins the night before the holiday, which is often reserved for meeting up with old friends — and may involve drinking. In 2022, 100 drivers were involved in fatal traffic crashes on Thanksgiving Eve — 35% of those drivers were drunk.
Thanksgiving usually means spending quality time with loved ones, feeling grateful and, of course, food and drinks. From 2018-2022, 833 people were killed in drunk driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday. This year, before you get behind the wheel, remember that even a small amount of alcohol can affect a person quickly. If you feel different, you drive different.
Drugs can affect a person’s ability to drive safely. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychoactive effects — can impact how a person drives. THC slows reaction time, impairs cognitive performance, and makes it more difficult for drivers to stay in their lane.
By driving sober, buckling up every time, and making sure your passengers do the same, you can help ensure that you and your loved ones arrive to your holiday destination safe and sound.
For tips on how to stay safe throughout the holiday season, please visit the
NHTSA Ways to Get Home Safely website.
Wet Weather Driving Tips
The
AAA Wet Weather Driving Tips webpage reminds everyone that safety starts before you drive, and your goal should be to see and be seen. Replace windshield wiper inserts that leave streaks or don’t clear the glass in a single swipe. Make sure all headlights, taillights, brake lights and turn signals are properly functioning so other drivers will see you during downpours. Turn on your headlights whenever you drive.
Proper tire tread depth and inflation are imperative to maintaining good traction on wet roadways. Check tread depth with a quarter inserted upside down into the tire groove. If you can see above Washington’s head, start shopping for new tires. Check each tire’s pressure, including the spare, at least once a month… and be sure to check the pressure when the tires are cold.
Avoid Cruise Control
Most modern cars feature cruise control. This feature works great in dry conditions, but when used in wet conditions, the chance of losing control of the vehicle can increase. To prevent loss of traction, the driver may need to reduce the car’s speed by lifting off the accelerator, which cannot be accomplished when cruise control is engaged.
When driving in wet-weather conditions, it is important to concentrate fully on every aspect of driving. Avoiding cruise control will allow the driver more options to choose from when responding to a potential loss-of-traction situation, thus maximizing your safety.
Slow Down and Leave Room
Slowing down during wet weather driving can be critical to reducing a car’s chance of hydroplaning, when the tires rise up on a film of water. With as little as 1/12 inch of water on the road, tires have to displace a gallon of water per second to keep the rubber meeting the road. Drivers should reduce their speed to correspond to the amount of water on the roadway. At speeds as low as 35 mph, new tires can still lose some contact with the roadway.
To reduce chances of hydroplaning, drivers should slow down, avoid hard braking or turning sharply and drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you. Also, it’s important for motorists to allow ample stopping distance between cars by increasing the following distance of the vehicle in front of them and beginning to slow down to stop for intersections, turns and other traffic early.
Overall you want to be extra cautious in wet weather. Slow down, avoid hard braking or turning sharply and allow ample stopping distance between you and the cars in front of you. Also, do these things one at a time. Brake, then turn, then accelerate.
Visit the webpages listed below for more information and resources.
ODOT Winter Driving Tips webpage
ODOT Transportation Safety Office Lights and Swipes webpage
National Traffic Safety Institute 6 Safety Tips for Driving in Heavy Rain webpage
Pedestrian Safety
The personal, physical, and environmental benefits of walking and rolling on other devices can lead to healthier, quieter, cleaner, and safer streets. Walking can also improve local economies and enhance social and community engagement, which can lead to more vibrant, resilient, and livable spaces. Unfortunately, nationally 2021 there were 7,388 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes, a 12.5% increase from the 6,565 pedestrian fatalities in 2020. This is the highest since 1981 when 7,837 pedestrians died in traffic crashes. On average, a pedestrian was killed every 71 minutes and injured every 9 minutes in traffic crashes in 2021.
Buckle Up - every seat, every time.
