Thanksgiving travel: A time for family, but also a spike in dangerous driving habits. It's a bittersweet reality: While Thanksgiving brings us together, it also sees a concerning rise in risky behaviors on the road. According to recent analysis, drivers are more prone to distractions and speeding during this holiday than on many others.
This isn't just a Thanksgiving issue. Christmas and New Year's Day also show increases in these dangerous habits, but the data suggests Thanksgiving takes the lead. Think about it: families traveling long distances, often with packed vehicles and a lot on their minds.
This data comes from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), which provides driving information to auto insurers, and Insurify, a website that helps compare insurance quotes. Both companies, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, have compiled some eye-opening statistics.
CMT's data revealed that distracted driving increased by 10.8%, while speeding went up by a staggering 68%. The Insurify article highlights that Thanksgiving experiences the most significant surge in drivers interacting with their phones and speeding compared to other similar days.
But here's where it gets concerning: The most troubling time for distracted driving is between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., spiking about 22.2% above a typical Thursday. This is especially alarming, as distracted driving and speeding are major contributors to crashes.
And this is the part most people miss: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's data for 2023 shows November as the month with the highest crash rate in the United States, at 207.92 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The total number of crashes in November 2023 was 541,188.
CMT's analysis is based on 27 million trips and uses technology embedded in auto insurance apps. This technology analyzes data from smartphones and connected vehicles, using AI to identify driving trends. Drivers often enroll in these programs for potential insurance savings and driving improvement coaching. CMT measures distracted driving by screen interaction, including activities like texting, using apps, or entering phone numbers. Speeding is defined as driving 9.3 mph or more above the posted speed limit for at least 300 feet. The comparisons are based on data from 2022, 2023, and 2024.
Despite these trends, individual drivers can make a difference. Mallory Mooney, Insurify’s director of sales and service, suggests staying alert, allowing extra travel time, and avoiding distractions to ensure everyone's safety.
So, what do you think? Are you surprised by these findings? Do you have any personal experiences or tips for safe holiday driving? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
