Long holiday weekend is among most dangerous times on nation’s roads

November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving weekend, best known for family gatherings over turkey, along with football and shopping, is reputed among police and traffic safety officials as one of the most dangerous driving times of the year.

Holiday Driving Safety

The holiday is a convergence of several factors that make our roads and highways especially hazardous. It is a high-volume traffic time, as people drive to family gatherings and students return home. It’s also a time when alcohol is often consumed – beer while watching a game and wine with the big meal. And the third big factor is drowsiness, caused by consuming a lot of food and, especially, turkey.

“Impaired and drowsy driving are serious risks on Thanksgiving,” said Randy Wright, President of Cottman Transmission and Total Auto Care, nationwide transmission and auto repair brand that services almost any make or model vehicle, foreign or domestic.

“People tend to get sleepy after a big meal, especially one that includes roasted turkey, which has enzymes that may cause drowsiness. Studies also show that even only one or two alcoholic drinks with the meal can seriously impair driving ability.”

Traveling On Thanksgiving

Cottman offers some simple thanksgiving travel tips to help keep Thanksgiving from being marred by tragedy on the road:

  1. Always be sure the driver and all passengers are wearing seat belts.
  2. If you plan to drive, don’t drink or take drugs. If you plan to drink, designate a non-drinking driver before holiday celebrating begins.
  3. Avoid driving long distances after a heavy holiday meal. If you must, have someone who can share driving tasks, and allow extra time for frequent rest stops.
  4. If you feel yourself nodding off, get to a safe place to pull over, have coffee or a caffeinated product and close your eyes for a 20-minute nap. You can’t force yourself to stay awake, and opening the windows or blasting the radio will not help.

“At Cottman, we all work hard to keep you and your car safe and reliable,” Wright said. “We urge you to take precautions on this festive holiday, so both you and your car stay safe.”