Millions of Americans will be traveling this Memorial Day weekend, and that is just the beginning of what is expected to be a busy summer travel season. With gas prices remaining low, AAA projects that more than 37 million people will travel this weekend at least 50 miles or more. This will make it the busiest Memorial Day in 10 years.
While is encouraging that the economy has improved sufficiently to allow more Americans to travel, and it is good for travel-related businesses, with all of that additional travel, it is likely we will experience more car accidents and an increase in the number of highway fatalities.
With increased travel this weekend throughout Pennsylvania, all drivers are cautioned to allow enough time, be aware of changing traffic conditions and watch out for sudden slowing of traffic. With more cars, will come more congestion, which can lead to chain reaction crashes. Sometimes, these crashes will cause additional car accidents due to the traffic slowdowns they create.
And remember, the Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement will have an increased presence this weekend, as they look for seat belt law violations. They, of course, will also be watching for drunk drivers, as Memorial Day parties and cookouts can lead to over indulging and intoxicated drivers.
The PSP and PennDOT will coordinate the “Click it or Ticket” campaign through May 31, and the message is simple, if you are involved in a car accident, simply by wearing a seat belt you can greatly improve your survival chances and severity of injuries.
Source: AAA.com, “AAA: 37.2 Million Americans to Kick Off Summer with a Memorial Day Getaway,” Julie Hall, May 8, 2015