Before You Hit the Road This Thanksgiving, Read These Safety Tips That Save Lives

In just a short while, we’ll once again celebrate Thanksgiving, that special day of the year when friends and families gather to mark the beginning of another cherished holiday season. But along with the joys of those traditional celebrations come some dangers that we feel compelled to address now – while there’s still time for everyone in Michigan to consider how to best create a safe and memorable holiday instead of one that will be recalled for trauma or tragedy. If just one life is saved by someone reading this article, we’ll be grateful for having shared it with you. Because no one should have their holiday memories tainted by tragic and unnecessary circumstances, something that happened to more than one Michigan family last year.

In one terrible case, on “Black Friday” 2024, relatives of Antonio Reed had just such an experience when they lost their beloved family member in an early morning wrong-way crash on the Lodge Freeway in Detroit.  As this article from Fox2 TV recounts, the innocent 34-year-old victim was hit by a Jeep driven by a 27-year-old woman, who also perished in the collision.  But that wasn’t the only fatal incident that took place on the Lodge around this time last year. In a separate accident just days later, WXYZ TV reported that a 58-year-old driver in a pickup – also going the wrong way in the early morning hours – ran head-on into a Detroit Transit bus. Sadly, that pickup truck’s driver died on the scene as well.

Those are just two of many such incidents that have left families shattered and holiday memories ruined across Michigan, and they aren’t limited to Black Friday.  Thanksgiving Day sees a huge spike in vehicles exceeding the speed limit and likely contributes to November being the month with the most accidents of the year, according to Insurify. Plus the heavy drinking that takes place on “Blackout Wednesday” (or “Drinksgiving,” as the day before Thanksgiving has also become known in recent years) has caused numerous tragedies over the years, too, as we described in this timely article a couple of Novembers ago. Similarly the term “Green Wednesday” has also grown in popularity lately, as the consumption of legalized cannabis has become integrated into many holiday celebrations across Michigan.

However, it’s important to note that any form of impaired driving – whether it stems from weed, alcohol, or other intoxicants – is illegal in Michigan. So please don’t take chances on spending months or years in prison as payment for a few hours of reckless celebration. Choosing a designated driver, or making a call to Uber, Lyft or a local cab company, can save you and your family from suffering needless pain, financial loss, emotional trauma, and lifelong shame if you happen to cause an accident where someone innocent gets hurt or killed.

Take our advice on staying safe and avoiding tragedy
on the nation’s busiest-ever holiday for travelers

Needless to say, a lot has been written about tried-and-true ways to protect yourself and the people you care about from being injured or killed in situations like those we’ve mentioned here.  A great place to start is by checking out this helpful information on “Blackout Wednesday” from a nationwide mental health advocacy organization.  Likewise the American Red Cross has published a useful article outlining numerous ways you can keep your family safer over the Thanksgiving weekend. Along those same lines, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists several tips to improve your odds of surviving a crash, most notably wearing your seatbelt, since 44 percent of the people killed in recent years’ Thanksgiving crashes nationwide weren’t buckled up. By the way, it looks like the odds of getting into an accident might also be increasing as tens of millions of Americans will take to the roads over the holiday weekend, likely setting traffic records across the country, as noted by AAA.

Of course, we’ve also published articles here to help pave the way to safer holiday celebrations, including this one that includes information on the severe penalties that can be faced by hosts if their inebriated underage guests cause mayhem after leaving parties. Indeed, Michigan law provides for criminal penalties in cases of this type. A lot has been written about protecting yourself and your family during this high-risk travel period — and much of it is worth your time. Here’s a quick list of tips that can make a real difference during the busy, holiday travel season:

• Plan your trip during daylight hours whenever possible. Visibility drops fast in late November, and dusk is one of the riskiest times to be on the road.
• Check the weather before leaving. Snow, black ice, freezing rain, and sudden temperature drops can turn highways hazardous in minutes.
• Slow down — even below the posted speed limit — in winter conditions. Michigan roads can be deceptive, especially when temperatures hover around freezing.
• Give yourself extra travel time. Rushing is one of the leading contributors to Thanksgiving crashes. Arriving late is better than not arriving at all.
• Avoid heavy travel windows if you can. Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday evening, and Sunday afternoon are consistently the busiest.
• Use a designated driver, rideshare, or taxi. Whether it’s alcohol or cannabis, impaired driving is illegal in Michigan — and extremely dangerous.
• Watch for fatigued drivers. Early-morning Black Friday trips or long drives home after dinner can leave drivers dangerously tired behind the wheel.
• Make sure your vehicle is winter-ready. That includes tire tread, wiper blades, antifreeze, and a full tank of gas.
• Limit distractions in the car. Navigation, music, and holiday excitement can take attention away from the road at the worst possible time.
• Buckle up — every trip, every seat. The NHTSA reports that 44% of Thanksgiving crash fatalities involve unbuckled passengers.
• Keep an emergency kit. Include blankets, phone chargers, flares, a flashlight, and basic tools in case you’re stranded.

What to do if you’re involved in an accident over Thanksgiving weekend

Of course, if you or someone you love are harmed by the irresponsible actions of another driver anywhere in Michigan this Thanksgiving weekend – or anytime at all – you know who to call: the dedicated personal injury attorneys at Mike Morse Law Firm. Our team takes pride in being there for you during the holidays and all year long, so never hesitate to get in touch if you’ve been injured through no fault of your own in a car accident, at work, at the mall, or anyplace across the state. When the unexpected happens, give us a call at 855-MIKE-WINS (855-645-3946)!