Another holiday weekend is approaching. According to the AAA, the upcoming Labor Day weekend will see a spike in the number of people traveling 50 miles or more. With increased road traffic comes an increase in car accidents. Anyone planning on being on the roads from August 29 to September 2 should be prepared to deal with more congestion than normal and all the safety hazards that attend heavy traffic.
Increasing consumer confidence, a recovering housing market and a slight drop in fuel prices from last year’s Labor Day weekend were all cited as reasons for the rise in expected traffic. According to the AAA forecast, 34.1 million people will take to the roads for lengthy trips over the holiday weekend. Many of them will be driving on roads they do not routinely travel. For that and many other reasons, the potential for car crashes is high.
Driving safely in high traffic areas, including Chicago and the surrounding areas, requires particular attention and skill. While drivers in any situation need to be aware of their surroundings, urban areas and congested highways offer distractions and dangers that drivers must negotiate properly to avoid harm. Tomorrow, we will outline several important tips for safe driving in an urban environment. Many of the tips can be applied to any driving situation and should be employed by drivers who are safety conscious.
Source: Bloomberg, “Labor Day Travel to Rise to Five-Year High, AAA Says,” by Lynn Doan, 20 August 2013
