It may be "the most wonderful time of year," as that jolly Christmas song goes, but holidays in general and Christmas in particular can be a notoriously dangerous time to get behind the wheel. First, there's all of the spiked-eggnog and champagne-fueled merrymaking that happens in December. This year, layer in the impact of inflation and seasonally higher airfares, and many families will drive to their gatherings instead of fly. This is why the National Safety Council estimates that just under 350 people could die in fatal auto accidents this holiday season. ValuePenguin analyzed holiday-related motor vehicle accident statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The slideshow above illustrates the 10 deadliest states for auto accidents during Thanksgiving and Christmas as of 2020, according to ValuePenguin and the NHTSA. The good news: There are often fewer people on the roads on Christmas morning, making it a statistically safer time to take a drive. Related: |

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Elana Ashanti Jefferson

Elana Ashanti Jefferson serves as ALM's PropertyCasualty360 Group Chief Editor. She is a veteran journalist and communications professional. Reach her by sending an e-mail to [email protected].