Millions more cars will be on the road from Wednesday through Sunday / Monday this Thanksgiving – as expected as these are some of the busiest days of the year. That means everyone should be much more vigilant and cautious when driving.

Drunk driving is especially worrisome during the holiday times. Fatalities often rise over the holidays. Don’t drink and drive!

Thanksgiving Travel Safety Tips:

1) Be mindful of the weather — while not as frigid and icey as the holiday season ahead of us, Thanksgiving is still known, nonetheless, as a beacon of nasty weather. Fortunately for those remaining in the Chicagoland area, the forecast for the next few days calls for clear (but cold) conditions. For those traveling outside the area, be sure to check the applicable weather reports, as the congested traffic conditions mixed with unexpected bad weather can make holiday travel a miserable experience.

2) Check your brakes and tires before you leave — not only is this step useful at any time (faulty brakes are cited in almost every auto accident victim’s complaint as a cause of negligence), this is particularly necessary during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, since it is one of the first instances of real, genuine cold weather. Whenever the temperature drops drastically, tire pressure has a tendency to drop as well, leading to increased instances of flats and tire blowouts.

3) Leave plenty early — as any personal injury attorney will tell you, drivers in a hurry to reach their destination are far more likely to get into an accident. Throw in unnaturally heavy traffic conditions and poor weather conditions, and the potential problem only becomes worse.

4) Avoid distractions at all costs — heavy traffic, long hours on the road with no sleep, unruly passengers, the temptation to multitask to make up for lost time and eat or groom yourself while driving — the possible distractions on this weekend in particular are endless, and each of them increase the likelihood of an accident significantly.

Have a safe and accident-free holiday. In the unfortunate event you are involved in an accident, obtain all the information possible immediately at the scene and take notes (if you can–get to the doctor or hospital first and foremost though if you are injured). Then contact an attorney immediately to preserve your rights. Do not talk to any insurance people without an attorney present. You can contact us here 24/7/365-even over the holiday weekend any time (and we really mean that as we will answer our phone) if you have any questions and to learn how we may be able to help you.