Traffic Deaths Skyrocket on the 4th of July

Barbecues, fireworks and car crashes?  Yes, the 4th of July is the most dangerous holiday for traffic fatalities.  Please call us to schedule an interview.

[cid:image001.jpg@01CB1780.EF57C2F0]

For Immediate Release                                                                        Contact: Media Relations

June 29, 2010                                                                                                        (800) 397-1679

CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE, BUT NAVIGATE WITH CARE
Traffic-Related Deaths Skyrocket Over The Holiday

    LOS ANGELES -Each year, highway fatalities spike on the Independence Day holiday, and the Insurance Information Network of California<http://www.iinc.org/> urges drivers to exercise patience and caution while driving to their holiday celebrations.
    Between 2004 through 2008, nearly 150 people died each year in accidents over the Independence Day holiday, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety<http://www.iihs.org/>.  That is an increase of approximately 23 percent compared to an average day.
    In 2008 alone, 41 people died over the three-day July 4th holiday on California roadways, and another 1,684 were arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
     "With the long holiday weekend, there are more people on the road jockeying for position and trying to get to their destinations quickly," said IINC Executive Director Candysse Miller.  "On holiday weekends, it becomes all the more important to exercise your best driving skills."
    Drivers should remember the following:

*       Follow the rules of the road.<http://www.iinc.org/articles/9/1/The-Role-Of-Speed-In-Traffic-Collisions/Page1.html>.  Buckle up, allow extra time for busy roads and avoid speeding, which reduces your ability to react to road hazards.

*       Designate a driver<http://www.iinc.org/articles/325/1/The-Cost-of-a-DUI/Page1.html>.  If you have been drinking, plan ahead and designate a non-drinking driver or call a cab. A DUI conviction could cost upwards of $10,000.

*       At the scene of an accident<http://www.iinc.org/articles/355/1/What-To-Do-If-You-Are-Pulled-Over/Page1.html>.  If you are involved in an accident take notes of the scene and the situation, taking pictures if possible, exchange information with the other driver without discussing insurance coverage limits and call your insurer as soon as possible.

*       Getting pulled over<http://www.iinc.org/articles/355/1/What-To-Do-If-You-Are-Pulled-Over/Page1.html>.  Pull over to the side of the road when it is safe.  Roll your window down to hear the officer and exchange documents, answer the officer respectfully and sign the ticket without question.  Signing a ticket is not an admission of guilt if you think you were wrongly cited.

        IINC is a non-profit and non-lobbying trade association dedicated to helping the public understand insurance and manage risk.  For more information, please visit www.iinc.org.  IINC is also on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/iinc and on Facebook at http://companies.to/iinc.


Pete Moraga
Communications Specialist
Insurance Information Network of California
(213) 624-4462