Holiday seasons are ideally meant to be happy times. Sadly, this is not always the case. According to government statistics, the holiday seasons, particularly the 23rd and 24th of December, record the highest number of road accidents annually. This unsettling fact might leave you wondering why the number of motorcycle accidents climbs during holidays.
Perhaps you are a motorist and are curious to know how to enjoy riding safely and avoid being a motor accident victim. Here are some reasons why motorcycle accidents increase during holiday seasons.
Some of What Leads to Increased Accidents During Holidays
1. More Motorists and Road Users
Holiday seasons bring loved ones together from their different places of work and residence. This means that people living abroad get to come back home. With the increased number of new drivers in town, there may be heavy traffic, causing confusion and collisions. New road users are often unaccustomed to the routes and road signs. They are therefore more likely to cause road accidents.
2. Increased Holiday Stress
Planning and executing holiday activities can be very hectic and induce much stress. Many purchases are to be made, events to be planned, and gifts to be bought. All this bustle can weigh heavily on you.
However, you should note that driving vehicles or riding motorcycles while stressed diverts your attention from the road. As a result, it increases the risk of causing an accident. Many motorists who have caused accidents before confess to having caused them while rushing somewhere during the holiday season.
3. Poor Vehicle and Motorcycle Maintenance
Many people still exchange gifts during the holidays. Especially during the Christmas holidays. Buying gifts at this time of the year can impose a great strain on one’s finances. Some drivers may opt to skimp on their vehicle’s and motorcycle’s maintenance costs to cope with this.
Doing this has never been a good idea. Do not put off replacing your faulty brakes till next year to buy Christmas gifts. Your safety and that of other road users should be your top priority.
4. Buzzed and Drunk Driving
The National Center for Statistics and Analysis reports that almost 40 percent of the accidents caused during the Christmas holidays involved at least one motorist or driver impaired by alcohol.
Most people tend to overindulge during the holiday season. Some may even take just one drink with claims that one drink cannot impair their driving ability. However, it is important to remember that even the least amount of alcohol in your system may put you or fellow road users in grave danger.
What to Do when Involved in a Motorcycle Accident During the Holidays
No matter how careful you might be while riding your motorcycle, your safety is, sadly, not a guarantee. You may get into an accident as a result of another driver or motorist’s recklessness. What should you do in such a crisis? How do you foot the hospital bills that you may incur as a result? How do you protect your family from the financial strain such an accident may impose on them?
It will greatly help your case if you seek professional help from a motorcycle accident lawyer. Such lawyers have specialized in helping victims of motorcycle accidents to get a fair settlement and full compensation for their pain, loss, and suffering. With one by your side, all the questions you may have will be well answered.
The holiday season should be a merry one. Do not let stressful insurance settlement battles slow you down as you spend quality time with your family and friends.