Summertime. Summertime. Summertime. Perfect for fun and death on the road. Not quite the optimistic message you were hoping for?

As the temperature rises, so does my accident caseload. My observation is reinforced by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. While I often find myself at odds with insurance folk, I can’t deny that they know how to keep reliable statistics.

Why is there a more significant danger to you and your family in summer? Here goes.

Increased number of drivers

We all know that the Gulf Coast will bring tourists in the summer, but Mobile and Baldwin County residents are also more active. We like to get out and go when it is warm. Traffic accident phone calls to my office will pick up about Memorial Day, and the increase will continue throughout September. I advise watching out for those more northern folk driving through here. They are unfamiliar with where they are going and will likely look at our battleship while going 70 mph.

More teen drivers on the road

Hey, school is out, and many of these drivers have limited driving experience. There is a reason teen insurance rates are higher than the average driver.

Tire blowouts

This might surprise you, but it is an increasing problem causing more accidents along I-10 and local Alabama roads. According to AAA, tires are more likely to explode during the summer because increased heat expands the tire and causes stress on the tread. You may have laughed at Grandpa always checking the tire pressure, but he might have known something.

Construction work

Many cities along the Gulf Coast use warmer weather to repair roads. More big machinery on the roads equals more accidents.

Increased motorcycles and bicycles

When the weather is pleasant, there are just more two-wheeled vehicles on the road, and let’s not forget an increase in two-legged pedestrians.

In summary, watch out this holiday and all summer long. There are roughly 1,000 U.S. fatalities on the road each year. I don’t want you to be one of them.

If you are injured in a traffic accident , on-the-job injury, nursing home neglect incident, slip-and-fall, boating accident, or other personal injury, you can talk to us at the law firm of Steele Ritchie for free. We genuinely want to help. We are local attorneys with decades of experience helping people, especially in the southwest Mobile area. Give us a call at (251) 666-1212.

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

The post AL Safety: Should I Stay Home This Holiday? first appeared on Steele Ritchie.