Each year, families across America celebrate Independence day with food, fireworks and friends. But studies show that these festivities are what make the Fourth of July the deadliest holiday in America.
This year’s celebration attracted a record number of people to the roads, which increased the risk of deadly accidents. An estimated 37.5 million people traveled at least 50 miles over the holiday period between June 30 and July 4.
“Fourth of July is the worst day of the year for fatal car crashes,” says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Esurance. Between 2007 and 2011, 40% of highway deaths were caused by drunk driving over the July 4th holiday weekend, according to the report.
The IIHS’s study also found that July 4 had the highest number of motorcycle deaths, which account for 10% of the day’s total.
An average of 141 traffic fatalities occur across the country on Independence Day, much higher than the 106 fatalities on an average day.
While drunk driving is one of law enforcement’s top concerns, fireworks are another leading cause of injury. Mishandled or malfunctioning fireworks can cause serious injury to hands and fingers, says the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission.
In 2016, an estimated 11,000 injuries were caused by fireworks on the Fourth of July. About 7,600 of those injuries were treated in emergency rooms between June 18 and July 18.
Four deaths were caused by fireworks last year, according to the CPSC. Three of those four deaths were caused by reloadable aerial devices.
The CPSC says there were 114 fireworks-related deaths reported between 2001 and 2016, an average of 7.1 deaths per year.
But the American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) says that while fireworks sales are on the rise, the number of injuries are on the decline.
“Serious misuse of fireworks devices, as well as the use of illegal explosives, account for a large proportion of these fireworks-related injuries,” the APA said. The APA says the industry is now making a greater effort to educate the public on fireworks safety.
According to the group, the injury rate is nearly 43% lower in 2016 than in 2000. The group says that safety education and better quality products has lowered injury rates.
While firework injuries are a concern, the APA says they are not the leading cause of consumer injuries. An estimated 20,000 people are injured by barbecue grills each year, the group says.
