If you are planning to travel more than 50 miles from home for the Thanksgiving holiday, be prepared to share the road with an estimated 42.5 million other Americans who will be doing the same.  Thanksgiving weekend has historically been the most traveled weekend of the year, with more than 90 percent of the people who plan to travel doing so by car.

As a consequence, the Thanksgiving holiday period is the most deadly holiday period of the year for traveling by car, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  In 2011, 502 people were fatally injured in car crashes on Thanksgiving Day alone, a decrease from the average of 556 fatalities a year during the prior 26-year period. Even if you plan to travel across town, you face risks; the majority of collisions on an average day occur within a 10-mile radius of home.

The New York and New Jersey car accident attorneys at Ginarte Gonzalez & Winograd offer the following tips to help keep you safe during your holiday travels:

• Keep children and animals secured inside the vehicle. This not only keeps them safe but decreases distractions for the driver.
• Do not drive without sufficient rest ahead of time.
• Avoid driving on Wednesday evening. You will avoid some congestion and you will not have to share the road with tired drivers who get behind the wheel after working all day.
• Share the responsibility for driving when possible. Switch drivers every two to three hours or every 100 to 150 miles.
• Check the weather before firming up your plans. New York and New Jersey weather can be unpredictable at this time of year. If snow is predicted, cancel your trip or plan on additional time on the road.
• Monitor traffic conditions. Tune your radio to a station that provides traffic updates to avoid congestion.
• Do not speed or tailgate. These behaviors can lead to an expensive ticket or worse, a serious collision.

Talk to a New York/New Jersey Injury Accident Attorney about Compensation

If you are injured in a car accident despite these precautions, seek medical treatment immediately. You should then consult an experienced New York/New Jersey car accident attorney to determine whether you are entitled to compensation for your injuries.

Contact the New York/New Jersey personal injury lawyers at Ginarte Gonzalez Winograd L.L.P., to find out what legal options you may have. With seven offices conveniently located in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area, we have an office near you. For your free consultation, contact the firm today by calling 888-446-2783 or fill