Staying Safe during 100 Deadliest Days

What Are the 100 Deadliest Days? 

You may have seen billboards about the 100 Deadliest Days and wondered what the heck that is. The 100 Deadliest Days is a campaign dedicated to raising awareness to the increase in roadside fatalities during the days between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend. During that span of around 100 days, there tends to be an average of at least one roadside fatality per day—a massive increase from the fall, winter, and spring months. While we know that there is an increase in roadside fatalities, we aren’t exactly sure why that is. However, there are some theories that can partially account for the increase in fatalities.  Most importantly, there are things that you can do to prevent injuries during this time. 

Slow Down 

There tends to be an increase in speeding during the 100 Deadliest Days—but it’s not just an increase in speeding; there’s also a massive increase in extreme speeding. Police officers tend to issue more tickets for speeds in the triple digits in the summer months than in any other season. We’re not exactly sure what’s so special about summer, but theories suggest that the perfect weather and great road conditions have people ditching their winter driving practices—which don’t tend to include triple digit speeds. Another theory has to do with motorcycles: bikes can hit much higher speeds and do it much easier and faster than passenger cars. Most people aren’t bringing their bikes out in the colder months where the weather is less predictable, but they’re certainly out and about during the summer months. Regardless of your situation, it’s important to make sure that you’re following the speed limit at all times. If you notice you’re going over, slow down! Excessive speeding can cause excessive numbers of car crashes. Do your part by slowing down. 

Put Your Phone Away 

Tourists are another theory that may explain why there are so many more car crashes in the summer months. Many people are taking road trips, and they’re not always used to the local roads, laws, traffic patterns, and more. Also, many people struggle to find out where they are and where they need to go. The days of asking for directions at a gas station are long gone; now when tourists get lost, they just pull out their phone. If you’re plugging in addresses on Maps, make sure you’re not doing that while you’re driving. If you need to look at your phone’s GPS while you’re driving, make sure you have it mounted near your dashboard. Do not stare at the GPS in your lap while you’re driving. If you need to examine a map—whether digital or analog—pull over at a safe place and do so.  

Don’t Drive Aggressively 

Rates of aggressive driving also spike during the summer months. Though it might be tempting to give an aggressive driver a certain hand gesture after they’ve cut you off, you should refrain from doing so. Similarly, you should refrain from attempting to give a driver a taste of their own medicine by brake checking them, cutting them off, or attempting to run them off of the road. Aggressive drivers also have a tendency to speed excessively, weave in and out of lanes, and make sudden stops. Unsurprisingly, they’re more likely to lose control of their car and cause a crash—and you don’t want to be close by when that happens! When you spot an aggressive driver, stay out of their way. If they want to pass you, let them. If they’re on your tail, move out of their way—the farther away these drivers are, the safer you’ll be.  

Watch Out for Others 

A big part of preventing roadside fatalities is driving defensively. Don’t assume that everyone on the road is as experienced as you. A lot of 16-year-olds are exploring their newfound freedom for the first time this summer—and unfortunately, they’re doing it on the roads with everyone else. Make sure you’re always paying attention to what others are doing. Try to drive in a way that will allow you to have time to react to decisions others might make on the road. For example, if you’re turning left on a yellow light, don’t assume that the person going straight is going to stop—they very well might not! This is especially true if they’re travelling at high speeds. One more thing to watch out for: motorcyclists. If you can hear them, make a note to yourself: they’re close by! Motorcyclists can easily hide in your blind spots, especially if you have a car that’s particularly prone to large blind spots.  

When Car Accidents Happen

At Moxie Law Group, our mission is to provide safety information and education to our communities so that everyone can pitch in to reduce the rate of car crashes and injuries. Unfortunately, car crashes still happen, even when people are trying their best to be as safe as possible. If you’ve sustained injury in a car accident, and you’re looking for an attorney to represent your interests, contact Moxie Law Group today for a free consultation.