Christmas Driving Statistics

Christmas is around the corner. As we are all out celebrating and seeing family, roads will be busier. Check out some of these Christmas driving statistics:

The last Friday before Christmas is one of the busiest days of the year for traffic. Many break up from work and school for the festive period. So, people are travelling home for Christmas or to see friends and family. With travel times likely to increase (some by hours), the most delays are likely to be on major motorways.
Nearly 1 out of 5 of all drink drive convictions happen the day after the night before. Many people think that having a good meal and a sleep means they will be safe to drive the next day. But just because you feel sober, doesn’t make it safe for you to drive. The NHS recommend leaving 1 hour per unit of alcohol consumed, plus an extra hour for the alcohol to be absorbed before the alcohol will leave your system.
The period sees an increased number of celebrations and socialising. So, there is also an increased police presence. More people are likely to risk drink driving over Christmas and New Year, and due to this, the police are more vigilant. Statistics show that you are three times more likely to be breathalysed in December. Over the festive period in 2016, over 100,000 vehicles were stopped to be drink or drug tested.
Boxing day brings with its post-Christmas sales. With many of us being gifted money the day before, can be a busy day for shopping and driving! It is expected that one in three people will go shopping on Boxing day. This will increase the risk of accidents and car park bumps. You should know what to do if your car gets damaged in a car park.

All stats in mind, enjoy your Christmas safely!