Holiday Safety Tips from Brijbag Law

Holiday Safety Tips from Brijbag Law

By: Brian Brijbag

It’s no secret that days surrounding the winter holidays are some of the busiest on the road. Many people are out more during the festive season than the rest of the year to visit friends and family, do some holiday shopping, and go to holidayrelated gatherings. While there are many things to look forward to, it’s important to keep vehicle safety in mind.

Driving under the influence is more common during this time of year because of all the festivities. The executive director of FLHSMV stated that during the holiday season of 2020, drunk driving was the cause of 1,169 accidents.

The added holiday-related stress and excitement may make reaching for our phones or multitasking behind the wheel tempting, but distracted driving is a crucial problem affecting drivers today. According to the NHTSA, distracted driving was the reason for 3,142 deaths in 2020.

It is common in Florida, even during the winter months, to have fun with family and friends by spending time out on the water. Although boating can be an escape from the business on land, it is still important to take boating safety into account. USCG Boating states that most boating fatalities occur in December with the lead cause being alcohol use. Also, most non-fatal boating accidents occur because of inattention, much like driving a car. Boating and land vehicles have their differences, but many safety precautions remain the same.

The rise in the amount of vehicle accidents, on land or water, during the holidays shouldn’t stop you from celebrating this time of year. There are many simple precautions to consider that will keep you and others safe. These include planning ahead, placing your phone and other potential distractions where you cannot reach them while driving, and paying attention to your surroundings. No matter

what type of vehicle you decide to drive, we hope you keep safety in mind as you enjoy all that this festive season brings.

Works Cited: Distracted driving. NHTSA. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/distracted-driving

Florida Highway Patrol reminds drivers to drive sober or get pulled over this holiday season. Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. (2021, December 17). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://www.flhsmv.gov/2021/12/15/ florida-highway-patrol-remindsdrivers-to-drive-sober-or-get-pulledover-this-holiday-season/

United States Coast Guard | Boating Safety. (n.d.). Retrieved November 22, 2022, from https://uscgboating. org/library/accident-statistics/Recreational-Boating-Statistics-2021.pdf

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