Cinco de Mayo is one of the most dangerous days of the year to be on the road. Whether you are celebrating or just going about business as usual, the safest choice is to stay off the roads, or get off the roads early. For many of us, that is not an option, but there are some precautions you can take to avoid dangerous drivers this Cinco de Mayo.
Who are the Dangerous Drivers?
It’s a given that drunk and drugged drivers are out and about in droves on any holiday, but they are not the only ones you have to worry about.
With party-goers coordinating their, often impromptu, reveling on social media and by texting, even sober drivers can be a serious hazard. Distracted drivers are just as dangerous as drunk drivers, but they are much harder to control. DUI checkpoints do not deter distracted drivers, they do not get them off the road. In fact, warning others of the location of the checkpoints is just another way for drivers to be distracted on Cinco de Mayo.
In many of the states that do have texting bans, it is a secondary offense leaving officers powerless to take action when they see someone texting while they drive.
What You Can do to Stay Safer
- If you choose to go out, make sure you are off the road during the most dangerous hours – from midnight to 4:00am. If you don’t want to go home early, arrange to spend the night.
- When you are out, avoid areas known for drunk driving accidents.
- Traffic apps can be useful for planning your route basic on current conditions. Just make sure you’re not trying to look at the app while you are driving.
- Listening to traffic reports on the radio can keep you up-to-date, so you know if you need to change your route to avoid congested areas and accidents.
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