May is one of the busiest months on the calendar in the Golden Isles.
College of Coastal Georgia just had their graduation ceremonies over the weekend that had to be split into two ceremonies because of how much the college has grown in the last few years. We congratulate all of the graduates and look forward to how they use what they’ve learned to impact their communities.
High schools are also moving at warp speed with graduations on the horizon. Add in Mother’s Day, Memorial Day weekend and everything in between, there is a reason for people to be driving a lot over the next month.
Those busy roadways are magnified in a popular tourist destination like the Isles that sees an influx of visitors at this time of the year. That is why it is important for drivers to be especially patient when you are on the road.
Deaths on the roadway have increased in America over the years. In 2019, there were 39,107 people who died in motor-vehicle crashes according to the National Safety Council.
That number increased to 42,338 in 2020 and went up even more to 46,980 in 2021.
The most jarring part of those stats is that the number of deaths in motor-vehicle crashes had decreased in the preceding years. After reaching more than 45,000 deaths in 2005 and 2006, there was a steady decline in deaths to just over 35,000 deaths in 2011. Unfortunately that trend has reversed since then.
While you can’t guarantee what other drivers will do on the road, there are a few things drivers can do to make sure they don’t become a tragic statistic.
For starters, give yourself plenty of time to get to where you are going. When you get behind the wheel to drive to a graduation or visit your mom on Mother’s Day, leave early enough to account for whatever you might run into on the road. You never know when a crash will clog up the road and lead to delays.
If something does happen to delay you, don’t violate the law to try and make up time. If a cop catches you speeding or running a red light, they will pull you over and just delay you further. Of course that’s a better outcome than getting hurt or losing your life in a wreck, which is another potential outcome.
The next few weeks are going to be a busy time. Don’t get so engrossed in what’s going on that you take your eye off the road. Follow the rules of the road and get there safely, even if you don’t get there on time.
