Oregon Injury Lawyer Blog
According to AAA, the drop in gas prices is expected to inspire about 32.4 million Americans to travel by motor vehicle over the Memorial Day weekend. That’s a 1.5% increase in travel over the holiday weekend. Compare that to the 9.6% drop in road travel over the 2007 Memorial Day weekend when gasoline prices rose had risen to almost $4/gallon. Retail gas prices are currently averaging about $2.25/gallon.
101 Deadly Days on the Road
In 2004, Drive for Life, a public purpose initiative, said that poll findings caused it to declare the 101 days between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend as the 101 days when Americans are most at risk of becoming involved in a US auto accident because so many adults and children—particularly with the summer holidays coming—tend to travel by motor vehicle.
Among Statistics Cited by Drive for Life:
• Americans have been known to travel over 1 trillion miles over the 101 days. (2001, Bureau of Transportation)
• This figure is 10.5 million more miles a month each of the other months that make up the rest of the year. (2001, Bureau of Transportation).
• More people are killed in US auto accidents during the summer months than the other times of the year. Children and teens that would normally be at school are especially susceptible to fatal injuries from a motor vehicle crash. (NHTSA)
Common Causes of US auto accidents during the 101 Deadly Days:
• Drunk driving
• Improper use of safety belts and child safety seats
• Driver fatigue
• Speeding
• Inadequate auto maintenance
• Distracted driving
AAA says 83% of Memorial Day travelers are expected to ride in motor vehicles on US highways, while another 10% are likely to travel by bus, train, or another mode of transportation. The remaining 7% of holiday travelers are expected to fly by plane.
As a Portland, Oregon car accident victim, there are steps you can take to make sure that you are fully compensated for any injuries you sustained that were caused by another driver’s negligent behavior.
More Americans expected to travel for Memorial Day, AAA says, Palm Beach post, May 12, 2009
The 101 Deadliest Days on the Road and How to Survive Them
Related Web Resources:
Tips for Memorial Day road tripping, ConsumerReports.org
Memorial Day Weekend, Summer Travelers Can Cut Gasoline Costs in Tough Economy with Drive $marter Challenge Interactive Website, Money-Saving Tips, Resources, Alliance to Save Energy/PR Newswire
Portland, Oregon Car Accident Attorney Matt Kaplan would like to talk to you.
