You probably need no reminder that Christmas is just a couple days away. Even if you did most of your shopping on Black Friday, there’s a good possibility that you’ll be making one more frantic trip to the mall to get that last gift or a trip to the grocery store to pick up some extra sides for the holiday feast.
But before you get behind the wheel, you may want to take a moment to examine your level of stress and anxiety. Doing so could prevent an auto accident. Traffic accidents tend to increase in the final days before Christmas, and about one-third of drivers admit that they tend to be more aggressive on the road when they’re feeling holiday stress.
If you’re in a hurry, chances are good that you’re focusing more on your to-do list than you are on driving. And as more and more motorists find themselves driving aggressively, driving distracted and speeding, an auto accident becomes increasingly likely.
State Farm Insurance Co. released a report earlier this month noting the increase in aggressive driving and which kind of drivers are most likely to be affected by it. The report showed that approximately 32 percent of motorists are more likely to drive aggressively leading up to the holidays. Those most prone to angry driving, State Farm said, are parents and drivers under age 49.
Even if you’re feeling rushed and stressed, please take a moment to consider the following question. Is your holiday to-do list so important that it’s worth risking your safety? No one wants to spend Christmas in the hospital. Therefore, please make sure that you pay attention behind the wheel and drive defensively. It’s better to arrive late than to never arrive at all.
Please have a safe and happy holiday!
Source: The Washington Post, “For drivers around Christmastime, it’s not exactly tidings of comfort and joy,” Ashley Halsey III, Dec. 2, 2013