3 traffic safety tips for Fourth of July weekend

The Fourth of July weekend brings tons of traffic to the Alabama. We talked to State Trooper Justin O’Neal about how to stay safe on congested highways. Here’s what we learned.

Staying safe in heavy traffic

There were over 300 crashes and 9 fatalities on Alabama roadways during Fourth of July weekend in 2020. Trooper O’Neal gave us three tips to stay safe while driving this weekend:

1. Don’t tailgate. Leave a good distance between you and the vehicle in front of you, even in slow traffic. Trooper O’Neal recommends 20 feet for every 10 miles per hour. Adding this extra space will help you react to hazards safely.
2. Don’t speed. Speeding causes a ton of accidents in Alabama. Also, there will be an above average amount of state troopers on the roads this weekend. If anything, don’t speed to avoid a ticket over the long weekend.
3. Be patient. Whether we like it or not, roads will be crowded this weekend. Especially on routes to beaches or lakes, traffic jams are likely. Don’t get caught up by road rage–you will make it to your destination eventually. If you’re really trying to avoid traffic, leave for your destination early in the morning.

Trooper O’Neal summed it up nicely:

“A lot of crashes are caused by speeding and following too close. Maintain a good speed, don’t tailgate, leave a good distance between you and that vehicle in front of you. Definitely don’t drink and drive.”

-State Trooper O’Neal

Where are you headed this weekend? Tag @bhamnow and keep us updated on traffic along the way!