The number of alcohol-related crashes increases drastically during the holiday season. Statistics show that people drink more during the holiday season and, with more people on the road, holiday travels can become deadly. Everyone should be aware of the risks of driving under the influence and strategies to decrease their risk this holiday season.
What Are the Most Deadly Types of Motor Vehicle Accidents?
All automobile accidents are dangerous. However, some types of crashes are more deadly than others. The deadliest types of accidents are:
· Head-on collisions. Head-on collisions are considered to be the most dangerous type of car accident. Although they make up only 2% of accidents, they account for 10% of traffic accident fatalities. They are so deadly because crashing head-on into another moving vehicle can double the impact speed. For example, if both automobiles are traveling at 50 miles per hour, the impact of the two cars would be like hitting a stationary object while traveling at 100 miles per hour.
· Truck accidents. Accidents involving semi-trucks account for around 6.5% of all traffic accidents in the United States. Out of those accidents, 28% result in injuries, and 11% result in fatalities. Semi-trucks are large and can cause severe damage to smaller vehicles.
· DWI Crashes. Around 10,000 people die in alcohol-related crashes each year. Alcohol can also be a contributing factor in other types of crashes. It may also be a factor in head-on collisions and truck accidents.
Why Are DUI Accidents More Common During the Holiday Season?
Many factors account for the increased number of DUI accidents during the holiday season. Around 91 million Americans take road trips between December 23rd and January 1st each year. Further, holiday celebrations lead to social binge-drinking. 16% of adults admit that they drink more during the holiday season. More people on the road mixed with increased alcohol consumption is a recipe for deadly alcohol-related crashes.
40% of car crash fatalities during the winter holidays are alcohol-related. On New Year’s Day, alcohol-related crashes account for 58% of all fatalities. Over the past five years, an average of 300 people have died in DUI accidents between Christmas and New Year’s. Car accident injuries also dramatically increase during the holiday season. Alcohol-related crashes can transform a joyful holiday season into a tragedy.
How Can Drivers Stay Safe?
Although drivers cannot fully avoid the risk of being involved in an alcohol-related crash during the holiday season, they can take steps to keep themselves safe. Drivers should:
· Avoid drinking and driving. Driving under the influence is against the law in all 50 states and is extremely dangerous. People can avoid injuring themselves and others if they call an Uber instead of driving under the influence.
· Avoid driving late at night. Most alcohol-related crashes occur at night after people have been at parties or bars.
· Buckle up. Seat belts reduce fatalities in car crashes by up to 45%. They reduce severe injuries by 50%. Wearing a seat belt is a simple step that can save lives.
· Get plenty of sleep. People who drive while drowsy are almost as dangerous as those driving under the influence.
While no one can control the behavior of others, drivers can decrease their risk of being involved in an alcohol-related crash this holiday season by taking simple precautions.
The holiday season is coming. Soon, guests will fill homes to make memories
that will last a lifetime. One of the biggest challenges of the holidays is
creating magic moments without driving yourself crazy with stress trying to
achieve those golden memories. With the right tools, you can enjoy a wonderful
holiday without being overwhelmed by stress.
Organization is Key
To keep your sanity during the holidays, you need to plan early. Guests can
be stressful and the holidays are no exception. The more details you can handle
before the guests arrive, the smoother things will go.
Plan the menu. If you are hosting the main holiday meal, it can take days to
shop for and prepare all the food. Start early. Make lists and double-check
them. Do all the shopping you can before the guests arrive so you can focus on
your guests and enjoying time with your loved ones.
Make a guest list. Details such as who is coming to dinner and any food
allergies are important. Use your guest list and compare it to the menu to
balance the number of guests with the food. If you invite a dozen people to
dinner and serve up one pie, your stress level soar will soar.
Will there be overnight guests? Where will they sleep? The more issues you
can iron out before the guests arrive, the better things will go. Unexpected
issues will always come up. If you address all the big details before the last
minute, you’ll have more time to address the last minute disasters as they
occur.
Schedule Downtime
Between cooking meals, entertaining guests, and attending to a million
details, holiday entertaining can be overwhelming. To be a good host and keep
your stress levels in check, you need to give yourself a few moments to catch
your breath. Sneak a few moments of downtime and allow yourself to put your feet
up to keep your sanity.
The longer you will have guests visiting, the more you need to schedule downtime. Get creative with efforts to get self-care if you need to. Send guests off shopping together or to visit another relative, and sneak a quick hot bath to soak aching muscles. If there are no options to sneak a few moments of downtime, a family movie with popcorn and holiday-themed candy cane cocoa, using flavoured syrup, can be a good way to enjoy family and reduce stress.
A big part of a warm and fuzzy holiday is being able to enjoy family time
without a mental breakdown. While stress is a part of any holiday, giving
yourself a few moments to tend to self-care is crucial. Spending time with your
loved ones should and can be a joy, but you need to take care of yourself while
tending to everyone else.
Stay On Budget
It is easy to get swept up in the season’s magic. A big part of managing
stress is keeping your budget intact. Sit down before you plan your holiday and
have a serious discussion about what you can afford. Perhaps a potluck meal
with everyone bringing a side dish would be best for your budget. Maybe you
need to avoid spending on gifts. Figure out what you can afford and stick to it.
It is possible to stay on a budget and have a holiday to remember. Stores often run sales on holiday meal staples just before the holiday season. Take advantage of coupons and cashback offers, if you can. A popular option for many holiday gatherings is for everyone to bring their special dish while the host provides the main course. Most people have a dish they love and will jump at the offer to bring it. Turkey giveaways are also popular. There are many ways to host a holiday meal without breaking the bank.
Gift-giving is another place that the holidays can bust a budget and cause stress. We all want to give a gift that will wow our loved ones. Overspending on gifts is the quickest way to make your stress level rise. The best gifts do not come from stores. If your budget does not allow for a ton of pricey material items, then get creative and go with gifts that don’t cost a thing. Keeping to your budget will help reduce your holiday stress.
The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year. If you go into
the season with the right plan, it will be wonderful and stress-free too.
Honey Boo Boo returns to screens this holiday season with four television specials, and in anticipation, the 7-year-old has revealed her most prized and hated Christmas gifts.
During the Christmas special, which airs on February 17, Mama June also joins in and explains why the mother-daughter-duo will be on Santa Claus’ “nice” list this year.
The precocious youngster says in a TLCpreview: “The worst Christmas gift I ever got was my Barbie car that I had to take back because it was too small.”
Meanwhile, her favorite gift is something she treasures every day.
“My best Christmas present was my tent that goes over my bed,” she says.
June Shannon’s top gift was just as versatile.
She reveals: “The best Christmas gift I got was a year ago when I got my crock pot, ’cause we were able to put meals in there and then just forgot about it, come back like eight hours later and it would be ready.”
June Shannon, a mother of four, can’t remember the worst gift she was given, but recalls a $5 gift card for Walmart somewhere along the way.
“What are you gunna by nowadays with $5? I mean come on now,” she scolds.
Honey Boo Boo returns to screens this holiday season with four television specials, and in anticipation, the 7-year-old has revealed her most prized and hated Christmas gifts
On whether the pair will be on Santa’s naughty or nice list, both say they’ll definitely be placed in the “nice” category.
June Shannon said: “I think I’m going to be on Santa’s nice list this year. We give a lot back to our community and that, and I think we get a few extra brownie points because Sugar Bear is Santa’s little helper.”
Without missing a beat, Honey Boo Boo agreed.
“Nice list,” she said.
“My daddy’s always Santa Claus, so…”
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Halloween special airs on TLC January 6th, the Thanksgiving special on January 13th, the Clip Show on February 10th and the Christmas special on February 17th.
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