Holiday Season Road Safety in Arizona — 2024 Edition

We’re in the thick of the most dangerous driving period of the year. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, Maricopa County sees spikes in every category of traffic accident — and our crash data analysis confirms the pattern year after year.

The Triple Threat

More traffic. Holiday shopping, travel, and events pack Arizona roads. I-10 and I-17 see peak volumes as people travel to and from family gatherings.

More alcohol. Office parties, family dinners, bowl games, and New Year’s Eve celebrations all involve drinking. The weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s consistently produce more DUI arrests than any other period.

More distraction. Shopping from your phone, checking holiday messages, navigating to unfamiliar party locations — distracted driving spikes alongside everything else.

Year in Review

2024 continued the disturbing trends we’ve tracked in our crash data. Maricopa County fatal crashes remain at historically elevated levels. Hit-and-runs continue at roughly 20,000 per year. And the deadliest corridors remain unchanged.

Your Holiday Checklist

Review your UIM coverage — today. Use rideshare if drinking. Leave extra following distance. Stay off your phone. And save our accident checklist — just in case.

From the Law Badgers: be safe out there. And if you need us, call (833) DTF-IGHT — 24/7, including holidays.