“Black Wednesday” and the other travel days that surround Thanksgiving can mean roads that are fraught with dangerously intoxicated or distracted drivers. That being said, following one simple safety rule can keep you and your family safer this holiday. Louisiana law enforcement is launching their “Buckle Up This Thanksgiving—Day and Night” campaign to counter these preventable casualties. The campaigns have had success in the past, as this year the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission found that 92.5 percent of drivers in the state wore their seat belts, compared to only 79.3 percent last year. Last year in Louisiana, 241 people were killed and 1,385 people were severely injured while unbuckled.
As many as half of those lives could have been saved by a seatbelts, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to a state official, wearing seat belts would drive down the number of fatalities by 45 percent for people in the front seat of passenger cars; the decrease would be 60 percent for those in pickup trucks, minivans, and SUVs. All the same, federal estimates show that about one in five people in America never buckle up, only exacerbating the problem of preventable injuries and deaths on the road.
Other safety tips for your holiday travels include simply being more alert, especially when you are backing out of a parking spot. Be cautious and give yourself more space between the car ahead of you. And be sure to celebrate responsibly, having a designated driver or calling a cab if necessary.
Even while being reminded to drive as safely as possible this holiday, the fact remains that irresponsible drivers can cause a devastating car crash, no matter how responsible everyone around them is. If you or a loved one have suffered from the negligence of another driver, you are likely entitled to compensation. Learn how to obtain what you deserve from insurance or even a personal injury or wrongful death claim when you contact Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. A Shreveport personal injury lawyer from our firm may be able to uphold your rights.
