New York residents who plan to live it up on the Fourth of July should keep that many accidents take place on during the holiday. The greatest risk is on the roads; both Esurance and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety state that 40 percent of all highway deaths between 2007 and 2011 occurred because of drunk drivers over the extended July Fourth weekend. During this several-day period, there are approximately 200 highway deaths every year.
New tech may help prevent distracted driving
Many drivers in New York and throughout the U.S. may be open to devices that could help them break away from their smartphones when behind the wheel. It may seem ironic that technology would solve a problem that it initiated, but there are several new devices that could help reduce the number of car accidents attributed to distracted driving.
Comparing drowsy and drunk driving
New York motorists who drive drowsy could have a similar experience to those who drive drunk. Driving after staying awake for 24 consecutive hours is similar to driving with a blood alcohol content of .10 percent. That is above the .08 percent threshold states use to determine if a driver is legally drunk. One difference between tired and drunk drivers is that a drunk driver may try to drive slowly and avoid obstacles.
New York's hands-free law may not make the roads any safer
Using a hand-held mobile phone or other electronic device while behind the wheel is prohibited in New York, and those who violate this law can be fined as much as $450. Drivers in the Empire State who wish to make phone calls or send text messages are permitted to do so providing that they use a device that allows them to keep their hands on the wheel, but a study from The University of Texas suggests that hands-free features may not actually make cellphones any safer for motorists to use.
AAA survey shows an increase in distracted driving
A March 2018 survey of traffic behavior and attitudes in the United States has claimed that self-reported phone use while driving has skyrocketed since 2013. Ironically, the research also reveals that the vast majority of the people who were surveyed consider distracted driving to be a major danger for everyone on the road. Drivers across New York are at greater risk of a collision if they are distracted by their mobile devices while driving.
Causes of death in drunk driving accidents
Even New York residents who don't drive should be wary of drunk motorists. These reckless drivers present a danger to pedestrians, city buses and everyone on the streets. In fact, drunk driving is involved in one-third of all traffic accident fatalities. Fatal car accident injuries can occur due to a number of factors, including the severity of the injury and the time it takes for emergency responders to arrive.
Car accidents and the injuries they cause
Different types of injuries will arise from a car accident, with the severity depending on factors like speed, impact location, and the presence of safety features. New York drivers will want to know, or relearn, the types of injuries that occur and how.
Marijuana holiday may be linked to fatal car crash increase
For marijuana users in New York and the rest of the U.S., April 20 is an unofficial holiday. This means an increase in marijuana use on and around April 20, even in states where recreational marijuana is illegal. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana impairs driving skills, so it's not unnatural to link the holiday with more accidents.
Stopping distracted driving can involve technical solutions
The threat posed by distracted driving can be a major danger for New York motorists. The ubiquitous presence of smartphones has meant that texting while driving, emailing and using other apps are constant distractions. In fact, a number of experts on safety have cautioned that the apparent ongoing increase in fatal car accidents in recent years is linked to the growing popularity of smartphones. Of course, however, smartphones aren't the only cause of driving distractions; even the car's own built-in navigation and entertainment systems can divert a driver's eyes.
NTSB report proposes ways to discourage speeding
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, speeding is the main cause behind the increase in traffic deaths in New York and across the U.S. The agency has released a report showing how 31 percent of all traffic fatalities from 2005 to 2014 were the result of speeding. The number of fatalities (112,580) was second only to the number of drunk driving deaths (112,948).
