According to three years of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash data analyzed by A Secure Life, there's a 19 percent spike in traffic accidents over the Thanksgiving holiday. Alcohol and speeding were major contributing factors, accounting for 29 and 28 percent of accidents, respectively.
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The following cities are statistically the most dangerous for Thanksgiving travel:
- Houston, Texas
- Los Angeles, Calif.
- Orlando, Fla.
- Atlanta, Ga.
- Greensboro, N.C.
- Philadelphia, Pa.
- New York, N.Y.
- Columbus, OH
- Chicago, Ill.
- Greenville, S.C.
Texas, California, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina proved overall to be the most dangerous states, accounting for more than 35 percent of traffic fatalities.
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On the flipside, these five cities are statistically the safest for holiday travel:
- West Point, Miss.
- Baton Rouge, La.
- Lawton, Okla.
- Clarksburg, W.Va.
- Marshall, Texas
Despite the large spike in traffic crashes, Thanksgiving isn't the most dangerous holiday to hit the road. That title belongs to Labor Day, which has seen 16 percent more accidents than turkey day. Independence Day and Memorial Day have also been statistically more dangerous in years past.