Make Sure to do Your Part to Stay Safe on the Roads this Memorial Day Weekend
Memorial Day weekend is right around the corner; here are drivers’ safety tips to prevent accidents and crashes this holiday provided by the National Safety Council.
- By Shereen Hashem
- May 27, 2021
It’s one of the most dangerous driving weekends of the year: Memorial Day Weekend. According to the National Safety Council, 415 people may die on the road this Memorial Day. The NSC encourages Americans to practice defensive driving over the long weekend following last year’s incident in car fatalities.
“Many people choose to travel by car, which has the highest fatality rate of any major form of transportation based on fatalities per miles traveled,” said Mark Chung, vice president, roadway practice at NSC. “As family and friends gather for the holiday, we not only call on everyone to spend time together safely during the ongoing pandemic; we also ask everyone to do your part to ensure you and your loved ones get to your destinations safely.”
The NSC released 5 tips for travel:
1. Prepare before you go – before hitting the road, make sure your car is safe for driving. Vehicle owners should check their oil, put air in their tires and check for and repair open recalls.
2. Drive distraction-free – thousands have died in crashes involving cell phone use.
3. Slow down – speeding is a factor in more than a quarter of all traffic fatalities. Drive the speed limit. Be sure to pay attention for those walking and biking in order to keep everyone safe.
4. Designate a sober driver – or arrange alternate transportation. Alcohol is only one cause of impaired driving. Drugs, including opioid, marijuana and some over-the-counter medicines – can impair driving.
5. Buckle up – seat belts are estimated to have saved 374,276 lives. Wear your seat belt while also making sure you have the appropriate car seats installed correctly.
Read more about fatality estimates, data and research about Memorial Day weekend here.
About the Author
Shereen Hashem is the Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety magazine.