Stay Safe This Fourth | Tips from a Personal Injury Lawyer

At Plakas Mannos, our team of personal injury lawyers meets many of our clients at the absolute worst time of their lives, whether it be due to a life-changing injury or the loss of a beloved family member. Unfortunately, we have seen a trend in more serious car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and trucking accidents occurring around holidays. This is especially true of summer holidays such as the Fourth of July. 

Fourth of July Weekend 2024 Resulted in Nearly 650 Vehicle Crashes in Ohio 

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that last Fourth of July weekend, there were 648 crashes, 15 of which were fatal vehicle accidents that resulted in 16 deaths.   OSHP also reported that in seven of these fatality cases, seat belts were not being worn.  In fact, throughout the holiday weekend, Ohio State Troopers issued almost 3,000 seat belt or child safety seat citations. 

In addition, OSHP made over 500 arrests for drunk driving accidents and drug-related violations during Fourth of July weekend 2024.   

Be Safe this Fourth of July Weekend 

Fourth of July should be a time to celebrate with family, friends, and loved ones. While you are enjoying the holiday, it’s important to remember to be safe, specifically: 

1. Wear your seatbelt. In the event you are in a crash, your seatbelt can lessen the chance of serious injury or death. Wearing your seatbelt also ensures you won’t be one of the thousands of people who are cited this weekend for failing to wear it! 

1. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t get in a vehicle where you know the driver was drinking. Along with fireworks typically comes some adult beverages. It is not worth the risk to you – or to others – to drink and drive, or to ride with someone who has been drinking. Drunk driving accidents are preventable and can devastate lives.Just don’t do it. 

1. Don’t text and drive, or drive distracted. Many times the fun doesn’t end with the end of the party, with people continuing to text or send reels to friends or family. While it’s tempting, it’s not worth it to drive distracted, especially this weekend when so many people are going to be on the road. 

1. Don’t drive if you’re exhausted. A long day in the sun can tire anyone out. If you find yourself having trouble keeping your eyes open, don’t get behind the wheel. Have some coffee, take a walk, or wait until you can get some rest.

On Your Worst Days, Plakas Mannos is Here for You 

Unfortunately, sometimes, despite how defensive your driving may be, car accidents due to someone else’s negligent or reckless driving cannot be avoided. Many of our cases include car accidents, freeway crashes, pedestrian crashes, trucking crashes, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, and other catastrophic crashes and injuries, as well as wrongful death. If you or a loved one are seriously injured or lose a loved one due to an accident this summer season, our hearts go out to you.   

At Plakas Mannos, our dedicated team of car accident lawyers will work tirelessly to provide you with the answers and accountability you deserve. Be sure to act quickly to avoid losing valuable pieces of the story of your case forever. See why it’s important to hire a personal injury attorney after a car accident. Don't let valuable evidence slip away – reach out to us immediately to ensure that your future is safeguarded.   

The Fourth of July should be a time of joy and celebration, not tragedy. From all of us at Plakas Mannos, have a safe and happy Fourth of July!