New Study Finds Maine Most Fatal State for Thanksgiving Drivers

If you or someone you know plan on driving in Maine during this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend you might want to reconsider. A new study published by the Law Offices of Cannon & Dunphy shows that the likelihood of a fatal crash goes up by over 110% during Thanksgiving weekend. About twice more likely than any other state in the US.

Why is Driving in Maine so Dangerous over Thanksgiving?

It makes sense that with an increase of drivers on the road the numbers of accidents will go up. But why so many in Maine? The first factor is that with Maine being the most northern state on the east coast cold weather and icy roads increase the risk of driving. Traffic also seems to be getting worse every year on Thanksgiving and is predicted to be record-breaking in 2019. As a result of the icy roads and high volume of drivers, Maine is one of the most deadly places to drive on the Thanksgiving weekend.

How to Prevent a Crash over the Holidays

If you live in Maine and do plan on commuting during this upcoming holiday weekend there are some steps you can take to lower the risk of an accident. One of the best steps you can take to avoid danger on the roads during Thanksgiving is to drive during hours with less volume of drivers. If you plan on using the I-95 the I-95 exit guide has recommendations for when to travel. For drivers traveling on Wednesday the 27th around 6am is the best time to leave and after 3pm you can expect high traffic volume. Friday at 6AM is the best time on the 28th. Saturday and Sunday are also being labeled as the worst time to return home.

With rain coming on the days before thanksgiving and snow coming after these tips for driving in cold weather should be followed:

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly.
• Drive slower than you usually would. Make sure you have time for maneuvering.
• Make sure you break cautiously especially if you expect the road to be icy.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don’t gun it up hills. Applying extra power on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top.
• Don’t stop when you are going up a hill. Get moving on a flat roadway before you take on the hill
• Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t.