By Emily Miller
Holidays mean increased travel – and with it, increased danger. Recent reports highlights that Labor Day is the second most dangerous time to travel as motor vehicle deaths are at their peak during this period.
Labor Day is followed by Memorial Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Independence Day as the most dangerous times to drive throughout the year.
Thanksgiving is still considered the worst holiday to being traveling.
According to an AAA study, 34.7 million Americans are expected to travel during Labor Day this year that is a 1.3 percent increase from last year. It is predicated that 29.7 million will be driving while 2.65 will be flying.
For those driving, expect travel delays from Friday, Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. through Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 5 a.m.
And while gas prices are expected to increase during the holidays, experts say it will not be as bad as it could be. In fact, gas prices will be at the lowest level for the month since 2010.
Drivers are encouraged to use Gasbuddy.com to help find the best gas prices while on the road.
Due to the increased traffic, travelers who choose to drive to their destination are exposed to a greater risk of falling victim to a motor vehicle accident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highlighted that a motor vehicle death occurred on average every 16 minutes in 2012, with national holidays largely contributing to this figure. Additional safety precautions should be taken while driving during any holiday regardless if you are on vacation or not.
The Insurance Information Institute recently released a detailed report regarding auto crashes – what causes them, how to prevent them and how these accidents affect us.
For those flying, consider arriving at the airport an extra 30 minutes before the recommended two-hour check-in window due to increased airline traffic.
Unlike drivers, individuals opting to fly to their weekend destinations may face increased prices, as airfares are two percent higher than last year. AAA also notes that Two Diamond hotels will cost nine percent more, while Three Diamond hotels will cost six percent more this holiday weekend.
Since flying can be extremely unpredictable during the holidays, it is recommended that travelers purchase some sort of travel insurance policy, especially if the trip extends past the weekend or airline cost was costly.
