On the Fourth of July, people attended parties, watched fireworks, went to parades and festivals and more. However, because so many people are traveling during this time of the year, the Fourth of July weekend sees a significant number of car accidents. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Independence Day weekend was the “deadliest for driving” across the U.S. in 2017, with 531 fatalities resulting from 486 motor vehicle accidents.
This recent Fourth of July weekend, AAA expected that almost 49 million people in the U.S. will be driving — a 4.1% uptick from 2018. Many of the car accidents that occur during this time will be caused by distracted driving or drunk driving. In fact, nearly 50 percent of fatal crashes during this period will involve a motorist who is intoxicated.
According to AAA, 2019 is the sixth year in a row to see an increase in drivers on Independence Day. This may be due in part to a decrease in the cost of gasoline. In addition, because the Fourth of July falls on a Thursday this year, some people may also take Friday, July 5th, off work to make a long weekend of the holiday.
Unfortunately, some people will see tragedy this Independence Day weekend if they are involved in a car accident. When this happens, it is important to identify which motorist is at fault. If motorists breached their duty of care to drive safely under the circumstances, and this breach caused another person to suffer damages, there may be grounds to pursue a personal injury claim. However, every case is different. Those involved in an auto accident this Fourth of July weekend who are interested in determining if they have a legal claim will want to get more information about their options.
