The holidays are a great time of year, but they also come with heavy traffic. As if that isn’t enough, the city shuts down many roads throughout November and December in an effort to allow for Atlanta holiday festivals. Local high schools, private clubs, and sports associations come together to celebrate many times during December, and it’s likely that eventually, you’ll come across a “road closed” sign. It’s frustrating, but it also causes road rage and can lead to accidents. Car Accident attorneys are used to handling holiday accidents.
Peak Traffic Times
One of the things that make the holidays really fun is the variety of Atlanta holiday festivals. Through December, you can attend tree lightings, Chinese Lantern festivals, Celtic Christmas celebrations, galas, and craft fairs.
The good news for drivers who are in the city daily is that you can block out large chunks of time for expecting these events. For example, nearly all the market-style events and crafts events begin around 11 a.m. and don’t stretch past 6 p.m. Additionally, communal events such as the Chinese Lantern Festival and tree lighting ceremonies begin in the mid-afternoon around 3 p.m. and end around 6 p.m.
The bad news is that commuters are all too familiar with this time frame. It’s also one of the most dangerous time frames to be on the road. More accidents happen in the late afternoon than at any other time of day. Then when you factor in more people being on the road and multiple road closures, it’s clear that there will be many accidents on days with holiday events.
If at all possible, avoid going out on these days, or park far and then walk into the event. Keep tabs on the festivities that land on Fridays or Thursdays as you’ll have commuter traffic and event traffic through different areas of the city. It might be a good time to cash in a vacation day or ask to leave earlier or later in the day than normal.
How to Handle the Changes in Traffic During an Atlanta Holiday Festival
The best thing you can do through this time of year is to avoid road closures whenever possible. Google and Apple Maps in this scope don’t really do well. They can show-stopped traffic, but often a closed road looks pretty clear or completely red. So it’s difficult to tell if that is a good route or not until you get there are realize that you’ve wasted your time.
Instead, look for apps that have user-reported changes. Waze and similar apps allow drivers to report road closures and changes in road conditions such as obstructions in lanes. These apps can definitely help you navigate around closures. Just make sure to check them before you leave the house. Usually, these Atlanta holiday festivals take place during peak traffic times.
What to Do When You’re in a Crash
Fortunately, many crashes that happen through these areas are low speed. The buildup of traffic and limited areas for cars to go leads to many low-speed wrecks. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any injuries in these accidents.
Any experienced car accident lawyer in Atlanta will explain that low-speed impacts can result in severe damage to your spine and neck. The most common example of this is when you are sitting in stopped traffic, and someone hits you from behind. Even at only 20 or 30 miles an hour, that’s a substantial impact and severely damaging.
After a crash in heavy traffic, contact an attorney to help you process your claim. They provide guidance on what to expect when dealing with appraisers and insurance reps, as well as the other driver.
Always contact the police after a crash. If no one requires medical attention, they may have you complete a crash report over the phone, online, or in-person at a police station. If there are issues between you and the other driver, then an officer will likely respond to the crash site.
After an Atlanta Holiday Festival Related Crash, Get Legal Help
Our award-winning personal injury firm has many car crash lawyers to aid those in recent crashes. Unfortunately, there’s nothing quite like holiday traffic. Atlanta has numerous holiday festivals as well, and that usually means tons of closed streets, cop patrols, and all the while many other drivers are drinking.
The holidays bring in a perfect storm of car issues that lead to an accident. If you are caught in a crash, contact The Weinstein Firm right away. Scheduling a consultation can help you understand what your next step is and how to get what you need out of the involved insurance companies.
