St Patrick's Day is Friday, March 17, 2017. That will bring two factors together that causes a higher level of concern for traffic related injuries. The two factors are road construction together with a day of celebration.
The reason why it is important to be especially aware a celebration such as St Patrick's Day is being held on a Friday is because St Patrick's Day is not holiday. This is a regular work day for many, such as construction workers. These men and women will be working on our roads and bridges as the celebrations begin.
The United States road construction projects are growing regularly throughout the nation. In Statistics and Facts about U.S. Highway Construction by Statista
Highway and road construction put in place in the United States is projected to grow to over 99.4 billion U.S. dollars by 2020. Highway and bridge construction is expected to vary across the United States, growing in about 20 states but remaining in stable in others. Some states have increased investment into transportation construction in recent years; since 2013, 15 states that have raised gas taxes for increased investments.
St Patrick's Day is a time for people to celebrate. Unfortunately this brings a degree of danger to fellow citizens, none of which are more vulnerable than construction workers building and repairing our transportation infrastructure.
BACTrack states in their post The Most Dangerous Times on the Road
Many of the deadliest days occur when people celebrate special occasions and events, such as Cinco de Mayo or the Super Bowl. For example, a NHTSA study found that alcohol-related crashes claimed a life every 51 minutes on St. Patrick’s Day in 2010, accounting for 32% of all fatalities that occurred that day.
The individuals traveling in a vehicle as the celebration of St Patrick's Day begin should be on high alert to their surroundings. Distracted driving can be common as the fun progresses. However, the road construction workers will still be finishing their work before they too can join in the fun. Everyone can enjoy this great day.
Please be safe and enjoy the celebration. Happy St Patrick's Day from the team at Traffic Safety Direct!