Labor Day Weekend Marks Final Stretch of 100 Deadliest Driving Days

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Labor Day weekend ushers in the last surge of summer travel and festivities, but also marks the final stretch of the 100 deadliest driving days of the year, when factors combine to make the roadways particularly perilous. 

This holiday weekend, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association is urging travelers to take extra precautions, as the number of drivers—especially young people—in combination with increased distractions and impairments make summer travel more dangerous.  An average of 260 teens are killed in auto crashes each month during the summer, 26 percent higher than other months of the year, according to We Save Lives, a highway safety advocacy organization.

APCIA also warns of a mounting concern: the increased prevalence of legal marijuana use and the inevitability of more drivers under the influence of marijuana.

"The 100 day stretch between Memorial Day and Labor Day is historically the most dangerous on roadways, especially for young drivers. Now with all but 16 states allowing some legal form of marijuana use, there is even more reason to be concerned about the potential dangers on the roads," said Christy Thiems, senior director, policy, research, and international, APCIA.

Marijuana use can slow reaction times and interfere with coordination, perception, judgment, and other critical abilities necessary for safe driving. Currently, there are no standardized methods of measuring marijuana impairment in drivers, such as a Breathalyzer.

"There is an urgent need for increased public awareness of the dangers of marijuana, more comprehensive research to develop an impairment standard and better methods for law enforcement to measure the effects," added Thiems.

 APCIA offers these tips for safer driving:

1. Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 
2. Avoid distracted driving. 
3. Buckle up. 
4. Plan ahead and allow extra travel time.
5. Observe speed limits.
6. Have a plan for roadside assistance.

The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) is the primary national trade association for home, auto, and business insurers. APCIA promotes and protects the viability of private competition for the benefit of consumers and insurers, with a legacy dating back 150 years. APCIA members represent all sizes, structures, and regions—protecting families, communities, and businesses in the U.S. and across the globe.

Contact: Eileen Gilligan
Phone: 202-639-0497
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE American Property Casualty Insurance Association