CA's Deadliest Driving Holiday Is Thanksgiving: Report

CALIFORNIA — As Thanksgiving approaches, Californians are preparing to hit the road to enjoy the long weekend. But the holiday period also ranks as the deadliest major holiday for the nation's drivers, according to a recent report.

The Thanksgiving holiday week ranks as the deadliest major holiday for American and Golden State drivers, with 6 percent more crashes reported than during Labor Day weekend.

This Thanksgiving is also projected to be the third busiest travel holiday since 2020, according to AAA, with nearly 49 million Americans expected to travel to their destinations by car.

A new study found that California has experienced the second highest traffic-related death toll in the nation during the Thanksgiving holiday week, which is defined by as the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving through the Monday morning after, according to car insurance saving app, Jerry.

The Golden State is also home to four of the most dangerous roads in the country, according to the report, which drew data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The state also houses one of the most dangerous cities for traffic accidents, Los Angeles.

California's most dangerous roads are the I-605 in LA County, I-5 in LA County, I-15 in Riverside County and SR-29 in Lake County.

According to data collected from NHTSA between 2006 and 2020, more than 7,000 people have died the road during the Thanksgiving holiday week. One quarter were between the ages of 16 and 25 years old. Of all deaths, 69 percent were male, according to Jerry.

Young adults are the most frequent victims of crashes during big driving holidays, as a majority of fatal traffic incidents involve either alcohol consumption, excessive speed or both, according to the report.

The most deaths have been reported on Saturdays, and the early evening has been reported to be the most treacherous time to drive.

Read the full report from Jerry here.

California Highway Patrol officers are poised to be out in force over the Thanksgiving weekend, on the lookout for people driving drunk or impaired, or violating other traffic laws, authorities announced today.

"As millions of people venture out for the Thanksgiving holiday, the CHP is preparing for one of the busiest travel weekends in the nation,'' CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said in a statement.

"Enjoy your Thanksgiving festivities, but please celebrate responsibly, wear your seat belt, and always designate a sober, non-drinking driver," Ray said.

The enforcement period will begin at 6:01 p.m. Wednesday and continue through 11:59 p.m. Sunday.

"As with every holiday, the CHP will work to keep motorists safe as they travel to gatherings with friends and family," Ray said. "Our officers will be on patrol to take enforcement action as necessary and to provide assistance to motorists who are stranded or in need of help on the side of the road."

According to the CHP, 42 people were killed in crashes in CHP's jurisdiction during the 2021 Thanksgiving holiday weekend, including 16 pedestrians and a bicyclist.

Also, CHP officers made 1,033 arrests for driving under the influence during the four-day period last year, and they issued more than 5,600 citations for speeding and seat belt violations.

City News Service contributed to this report.