New data revealed that Thanksgiving is New York’s deadliest holiday for drivers, as it sees the biggest uptick in on-the-day traffic fatalities. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatal vehicle crashes are 326% higher on Thanksgiving than any other November day.
Compiled by lawyer John Fitch, the research analyzed NHTSA data. New York sees an average of 12.3 fatal crashes on Thanksgiving each year – over four times the daily average for November. The study suggests alcohol is responsible, calling out “Blackout Wednesday” as a likely culprit – but even those who don’t drink could be affected by lack of sleep from attending holiday events, the study found. The National Safety Council says driving without sleep for 20 consecutive hours is as dangerous as driving with a 0.08% blood-alcohol level.
Christmas Day came in third in the study, with a 204% increase in traffic fatalities. Halloween, New Year’s Eve and Memorial Day see little impact – although New Year’s Day sees a 31% rise in fatalities, suggesting the after-effects of New Year’s Eve celebrations are more dangerous than the previous night’s festivities.
Source: https://cdan.dot.gov/query
