Heavy Holiday Traffic Expected This Thanksgiving on Wisconsin Highways

This Thanksgiving, thousands of families throughout the state will be hitting the road to spend time with family and friends. As you might have expected, this will mean copious amounts of traffic on Wisconsin highways. The amount of people on the road, combined with ongoing roadwork in some areas and the possibility of inclement weather, will present challenges to holiday drivers. As if that weren’t enough, there will also be additional traffic from an upcoming Green Bay Packers game!

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) advises drivers to be extra cautious while driving to and from your Thanksgiving destination. This means wearing your seatbelt, driving within the speed limit, staying sober, and eliminating any distractions. Another important tip drivers should remember when preparing for their trip is to perform a maintenance check on their vehicles. Many accidents occur as a result of car mechanical failures, so take steps to prevent this by:

• Checking the tread and inflation of your tires
• Ensuring that your brakes are in good working order
• Checking that the car has enough clean oil
• Making sure the windshield wipers are operational and that the wiper fluid tank is full
• Checking that the headlights and taillights are operational

In addition to car failures, many holiday accidents are also caused by distracted drivers, fatigued drivers, or drivers who are impatient to reach their destination. We urge drivers to keep in mind that driving unsafely out of impatience is not worth compromising their safety, the safety of their passengers, or the safety of other drivers. In the blink of an eye, a family’s holiday can be ruined by a car accident. Last year, six people were killed in car crashes over the Thanksgiving holiday in Wisconsin. Don’t let this happen to you.

It is a good idea to check local traffic and weather reports before leaving on your trip. If possible, be flexible with your plans so that you can avoid dangerous driving conditions or large traffic jams. Information on road conditions can be found at www.511wi.gov, or by downloading their free smartphone app (as a reminder, never use a smartphone while driving – always pull over to a safe location first!)

Cannon & Dunphy S.C. wishes you and your family safe travels and a very happy Thanksgiving!

Injured in a car accident caused by another driver? You may be eligible to pursue compensation.Consult with a Milwaukee car accident lawyer for free by calling (262) 782-2700 .