According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Fourth of July is the deadliest day of the year for motorists in New York and throughout the country. The IIHS studied the five most recent years that have accurate fatal car crash data (2010 to 2014), finding that an average of 118.4 people die each year on July Fourth. This is 28 more deaths than the average daily toll.

The second highest is New Year’s Day, which has an average of 118.2 deaths on the roads. New Year’s Day also happens to be the most dangerous for the occupants of passenger vehicles (with 86 deaths on average every year) while Independence Day is the deadliest for motorcyclists.

On Independence Day, 47 percent of fatal crashes involve at least one motorist, pedestrian or bicyclist with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent (the legal limit) or more. This is contrasted with the daily average of 35 percent.

Another reason for the increase is that more drivers are on the roads, sometimes traveling by routes that are less familiar than their usual commutes. As always, the way to prevent deaths is for vehicle occupants to buckle up, motorcyclists to wear helmets and everyone to drive the speed limit.

When an individual is injured because of a drunk or inattentive driver, they may be able to file an auto accident claim. This is where a lawyer can come in. Accident attorneys usually have a network of third parties that they can rely on to strengthen a case. Attorneys can also handle all negotiations and potentially litigate for a client.