Over the holiday season, many drivers are going to be traveling on unfamiliar roads. They may be visiting family members or taking vacations in different states. There will be higher traffic levels as many people travel for the holidays, and a lot of those drivers may be using the roads for the first time.
There is some evidence that this unfamiliarity can increase the odds of a car accident. For one thing, drivers may just get confused. If the road design is complex, they could make mistakes. A driver who has never used a roundabout before may be very confused when encountering one while driving late at night, for example. But that’s not the main reason that car accidents become more likely.
The role of driver distraction
The issue is that driver distraction often increases on these unfamiliar roads.
In the past, that may have meant that drivers were busy looking at printed instructions or a paper map. Today, it may mean that they are looking at the screen of their GPS unit. Many people will also just use their smartphone as a GPS, so they may be looking down at the screen of their phone.
All of this is simply because the driver is unsure where to go and is using these devices as a means of guidance. But a driver who is looking at their phone and not the road is significantly more likely to cause a crash. Ideally, someone else should navigate while that person focuses only on driving.
This issue is going to lead to car accidents and injuries over the holidays this year. Those who have been injured need to know how to seek financial compensation.