Be very cautious as you drive during this Christmas and New Year holiday. It could be a very dangerous time on the highway.

Statistics are in for the first half of this year, and more than 20,000 people lost their lives on America’s roads. The U.S. government says it is the most significant jump in traffic deaths in our history.

Alabama is not immune. We had nearly 1,000 traffic deaths in our state, and that is in just 6 months.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not state the cause of the increase. However, it did list the reasons for the accidents. The top 3 you can control.

Here is what I see by dealing with traffic accidents every day. COVID-19 is changing the way we drive. Fewer vehicles on the road have given some people the feeling that they can go faster with less chance of hitting something. But let me remind you, long-haul truck traffic is up. You hit one of those big rigs, and it doesn’t matter who else is on the road.

My biggest fear is that more people will drink and drive. For many Alabamians, this holiday could be the biggest gathering in several years, and that can lead to overindulgence.

And one last point. I see more accidents from texting and driving than before the pandemic. It seems that people have become increasingly attentive to their phones, and as these statistics show, that text could cost them their lives.

Please be safe on the road. This Christmas could be the riskiest in history.

If you suffer a personal injury like an auto/truck accident , railroad accident, or slip and fall, you can talk to us at the Law Firm of Eiland and Ritchie for free. We want to help you get back on your feet.

Join us on NBC 15 LawCall here in Mobile every Sunday night at 10:30, right after the news. We are taking a fall break and will offer 5-minute segments for the rest of the year. Plus, there is a live call-in segment every Monday on NBC 15 at around lunchtime.

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

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