AAA reminds motorists of the dangers of distracted driving ahead of Thanksgiving travel rush
As the temperatures drop and Thanksgiving travel looms, excitement for the start of the holiday season can sometimes lead to some dangerous decisions.
"Distracted driving, whether texting or adjusting a playlist on your phone, taking your eyes off the road for mere seconds, could lead to some very, very, very tragic results," said Howard Hughey, public affairs director with AAA.
This year, more than 2.3 million Michiganders are expected to hit the roads for Thanksgiving, with AAA calling it one of the busiest travel weekends ever. With it comes the potential for impaired driving.
"We all know that not one good decision is made at 1:45 a.m. in a bar. Not one," Michigan State Police First Lieutenant Mike Shaw said.
Shaw said that during last year's Thanksgiving weekend, there were 11 fatal crashes, with five involving alcohol.
As a way to prevent that, AAA is offering its annual Tow to Go program, which gives drivers a free, confidential ride and tow to a safe place for anyone who needs it.
"Have a plan in place. There are plenty of options to get home, so take a minute to plan ahead," said Shaw.
Whether going down the road or across state lines, the goal is to make sure everyone makes it to their celebrations safely.
"It's very important that you all pay attention to these things while being on the roads any day, not just during the Thanksgiving Day holiday, but any day, because you could not only be saving your own life, but the life of someone else who's sharing that roadway," said Hughey.