While summer may be the season of driving with the windows open and the top down, it’s not a time to let your guard down. Summer is the most dangerous time of year for car accidents. According to information shared by Scientific American, hot weather increases risks for lethal car wrecks. In some cases, the effects of heat on the body are to blame for mood changes and dips in cognitive performance that can make accidents more likely. In others, common summertime distractions are to blame.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving claimed the lives of 3,273 people on American roads in 2023. Not letting your guard down while driving in the summer can truly save lives. Here’s a look at the big summertime driving risks to be aware of before hitting the road.
Navigational Distractions
Summer is the season of road trips! While there’s nothing as fun as a summer vacation, trying to navigate new routes using a smartphone or GPS system can force us to take our eyes off the road, hands off the steering wheel, and minds off of safe driving. When plotting a route to an unfamiliar place, drivers can easily be distracted as they attempt to follow GPS or read road signs. It’s also easy to react to missing an exit with a swift turn or lane change without checking mirrors. Distracted driving can come in many forms. In the state of Oklahoma, distractions are defined as any activity that diverts your attention from the road and can include, texting, eating, interacting with other passengers or using the radio or navigational applications. Driving while distracted can lead to collisions as well as fines.
Speeding
Drivers are more likely to speed when the weather is nice. Any driver knows how easy it is to lose track of the speedometer with the radio cranked up on a gorgeous sunny day. You might even say that one feels invincible. Compared to rainy or snow days that create adverse conditions on the roads, clear, dry days with good visibility can cause drivers to drop their guard because of a reduced perception of risk.
Road Construction
Many towns and cities take advantage of warm weather to handle road work. As crews work day and night to repair road damage caused by winter weather, drivers need to be prepared for lane closures, changing traffic patterns, narrowed roadways, and detours that can come up suddenly. When crews are working on the road, there’s simply less leeway for drivers who are distracted by texting while driving. It’s also important to give your full attention to road signs for speed limits and lane mergers to avoid tragedy in a construction zone.
More Teen Drivers
Experts consider the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day the 100 deadliest days for teen drivers. With school out of session, more teens are on the road during the daytime hours. In addition, summer jobs and socializing give teen drivers more reasons to be on the road at all times during summer. In parts of the country with significant snowfall and ice, many parents wait until spring to allow their teens to get their licensees to ensure they’re not driving for the first time when roads are bad. That means that all of us are sharing the road with a higher number of newer, less experienced drivers compared to any other time of year.
