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Hitting The Road

This is a sponsored post. Thank you for supporting SITC.

This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day.

Labor Day is our last hurrah of the summer and like every year, we spent it in the Hamptons; my favorite place to be. The Hamptons is about a two hour drive from the city so we jet out there as often as possible. I have been known to drive out and back in one day for events or house hunting excursions. The traffic and road congestion can be pretty horrendous on busy summer weekends, but living in New York we’ve grown accustomed to it.

Like most families, we hit the road in the summertime because we like to take advantage of the local spots and the weather is ideal for road travel. But, according to Allstate Insurance, the summer months are the worst for accidents. New data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) states that July and August are the most dangerous months to be on the road! I couldn’t believe it since I figured icy and snowy roads caused the most accidents, but I guess more drivers are clogging the roads in summer heading to the beaches and parks.Luckily, New York drivers have it under control. New York City ranked #1 safest city on this year’s 13th annual Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report (when you take population density into account). The Best Drivers Report is an annual ranking that identifies which of the 200 largest U.S. cities and their surrounding suburban areas have the safest drivers (based on auto claims). Anyone who has driven in NYC can tell you the roads are incredibly congested even in the early morning hours or late at night. We have so many people living in the area, which means lots of cars and an increased risk for accidents. BUT just because we rank so high when you take population density into account doesn’t mean there aren’t accidents. NYC ranked 116th overall in 2016 for safe driving. Not so great. You can visit Allstate.com/BestDriversReport to interact with a map tool that lets you view your city’s ranking in 2017 and previous years.

According to Allstate Insurance, the average driver will experience a collision once every 10 years and 94% of collisions are caused by preventable human factors. As you know, each collision can increase your insurance premiums! Factors like multiple accidents, new drivers, type of insurance, how much you drive, where you live and park your car all dictate insurance premiums. You may not be able to control where you live or park, one of the factors you can absolutely control is your driving record! Staying alert and aware is key but also avoiding peak hours is important, too. In NYC, the number of fatal collisions is on the rise with car crashes more likely to occur during rush hour, and on Saturdays and during holidays like Labor Day!

The driving stats are pretty alarming so we plan to be extra alert driving to and from the Hamptons, and even on the beach where we drive right up on the beach. Jason and I will make sure we are navigating the roads together and communicating any issues we see. Whoever is co-piloting the drive will man the iPhone GPS if we need it. We will also keep the radio off during high-traffic times and peak travel hours to reduce distractions. This means no in-seat dance parties but it is worth it to keep everyone safe.

Make sure you are alert and safe while driving and please share any tips you have for safe driving or avoiding the crowded roads, especially during holiday weekends!

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14 thoughts on “Hitting The Road”

  1. My biggest tip for staying safe when road tripping for the holidays is avoiding the expressways if you have the time. It’s so much prettier to take your time on regular roads, and it’s FAR less congested and dangerous. NO big rigs!

  2. The Hamptons sound like a wonderful place to spend one last hurrah of the season. My mom has Allstate and was really impressed with their service last year when she was in a minor accident. They really do care about their customers!

  3. Unfortunately due to the hurricane so many people are traveling in droves from FL to GA and further up for evacuation and safety. I wish all those traveling safety this is a serious storm!

  4. Very interesting post! We live in an area that is typically a summer vacation area, and it can be so congested in the summer months. It is so important to drive safely, and be cautious. I would never have guessed that NYC did so well in the 13th annual Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report!

  5. Those are really alarming stats. I also thought that the icy roads would be more dangerous for driving. Anyway, I think it is about time we say good bye to the summer and welcome my favorite season – fall.

  6. We do have Allstate. It gives me the peace of mind that we would get help when and where we need it. As a family with young children, I think putting these things as a priority is a smart move. Thanks for sharing your photos of your beautiful children enjoying their Labor Day Weekend!

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