Travel analysts say cash-strapped consumers may take shorter trips by car this summer instead of buying plane tickets, possibly causing more car accidents with more drivers are on the roads.

While the recession is putting a damper on many Americans economic status, they are not letting this effect their summer vacation plans.  The only difference is that many are opting to travel by car rather than plane.  While this is good for rental car companies whose monthly revenue has risen, with more people driving rental vehicles in places they are not familiar with car accidents that cause personal injury will steadily rise as well.

As car accident lawyers, we urge all drivers to obey safe driving practices when behind the wheel.  This means driving at safe speeds and obeying stop signs and traffic lights.  If you are traveling by car to a new area make sure to become aware of the designated traffic laws and speed limits as they are different from state to state, as well as find the best car insurance policy for your vehicle.

Not obeying traffic laws can cause car accidents because all drivers may not be paying attention to the road.  Car accidents can cause personal injury like whiplash or spinal cord injury leading to paralysis (i.e. paraplegia & quadriplegia).  Severe car accidents can also cause wrongful death.

The St. Louis-based Enterprise Rent-A-Car company said car reservations at its nonairport locations are up more than 20% for the July 4 weekend, compared with last year.  Enterprise said its June car reservations are up from May and that the year-on-year decline has narrowed to the low single digits.

Hertz, meanwhile, said its reservations for the July 4 weekend also are up from a year ago and that summer holiday reservations in European countries such as Italy and Spain are as much as 30% higher than a year earlier.

As auto accident attorneys, we believe that car drivers should always follow the rules of the road no matter where they are.  Car drivers — especially those who are not familiar with an area they are driving — should never rush through yellow lights hoping to get across the intersection before the light turns red.  If you are not familiar with the area in which you are driving you are more likely to become distracted, speed, recklessly drive, run a red light and run a stop sign which are all top causes of car accidents.

By becoming familiar with traffic laws in different places you are traveling you could prevent a car accident that causes a loved one or you personal injury.  Is it not worth it to become familiar with your surroundings first?

Please contact us for a FREE CONSULTATION with an experienced car accident attorney — in either English or Spanish — at (800) 655-6585 or click here to submit your case for a Free Review.