With summer unofficially starting Monday, the time of year for road trips is here. As a lot of people hit the road over the long weekend, safety officials are urging drivers to be careful not just for increased holiday traffic but for the whole summer ahead.
Not to rain on any parades this holiday weekend, but Memorial Day marks the start of the hundred deadliest days on the roads. With temperatures rising and school not in session, many families plan vacations this time of year and a good amount of them drive. More people on the roads means a greater chance of accidents.
Dr. Bill Morgan of Saint Alphonsus tells KTVB medical professionals see a spike in victims of motorcycle and car crashes involving alcohol over the Memorial Day holiday. He says injuries linked to outdoor activities like ATVs and jet skis also goes up over the weekend because people are rusty after the long winter.
Idaho State Police and other law enforcement agencies say they’ll be out in full force looking for drunk drivers, speeders and people not wearing their seatbelts.
AAA projects more than 39 million people nationwide plan to travel this weekend making it the busiest Memorial Day in 12 years.
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