When compared with winter months, there are seemingly a number of reasons
why the sweet spot of summer should be far safer for drivers in Indiana
and nationally.
After all, weather during the June-August timeframe is optimal. Visibility
in better. Whiteouts and drifting snow are figuratively and literally
in the rear-view mirror. The roads are definitely not icy. Sunshine rather
than darkness is the norm.
Given all that goodness, why does empirical evidence clearly point to summer
months as being the most perilous time of the year for motorists?
It is certainly unquestionable that they are. Government safety regulators
relate the sad fact that there are
about 30% more fatal motor vehicle accidents during summertime than during the December-February driving window. Here are some reasons why:
- More traffic on roadways than during any other time of the year
- More walkers, bicyclists and motorcyclists vying for space
- Construction projects that clog streets, highways and interstates
- Increased vehicle speeds that reduce drivers’ reaction times
And then there is one especially highlighted and always-present culprit,
of course, namely distracted driving. A recent insurance company-authored
study reveals that motorists nationally are focused on things other than
driving a shocking 25% of the time during the summer.
That centrally contributes to this, states the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration: a nearly 30 percent jump in traffic deaths during
summer months as compared with the winter timeframe.
Distracted driving is “entirely preventable,” states one analyst
and study researcher.
Indeed, behind-the-wheel negligence takes a heavy toll on Indiana and national
roadways, during summer and all other times of the year.
The experienced personal injury attorneys at Tabor Law Firm in Indianapolis
are intimately aware of the devastation visited upon individuals and families
by the reckless driving of third parties. We
welcome contacts to the firm to discuss the strong advocacy role we play on behalf of injured victims
and the maximum recoveries we pursue to fully promote their legal interests.
