Hudson Valley Sees Increase in ‘Crazy Drivers’ — Here’s Why

If you've noticed an uptick in reckless drivers, you're not imagining things. Hudson Valley roads have recently become more dangerous and there are a few reasons why.

A few days ago I was stopped behind a car at a red light. When it turned green, the vehicle in front of me turned right and I followed behind them. As I approached the intersection, a white Subaru came barreling through the red light, finally screeching to a halt inches from my door. The driver was yelling and screaming. Calmly, I pointed up to the red light they had just blown through and politely gave them a thumbs-up as I drove away.

Scenes like this have become especially common in the Hudson Valley over the past few weeks. On Monday there were a total of five different wrong-way drivers reported in the Hudson Valley region within an eight-hour period.

So if we're not imagining things, why has everyone seemed to have lost their minds?.

According to transportation experts, December is the most dangerous month for driving. While statistics of car accidents may not exactly show an uptick at the end of the year, anyone who's out on the roads knows that it's recently become the wild west.

Cars cutting off other drivers at high speeds on Route 9, road ragers coming inches away from your bumper on I-84 and impatient people zigzagging through side streets have all become the norm.

Why Drivers Are Losing Their Minds Right Now

According to experts, there are several reasons why drivers have become more dangerous. Once December rolls around, people find themselves busier than usual. Even though online shopping has made things easier, people are still venturing out to purchase last-minute gifts at stores, run holiday errands and hit the supermarkets in preparation for entertaining guests. All of that extra traffic leads to frustration and road rage.

Holiday lunches, happy hours and parties also lead to an increase in drunk drivers on the roads. You may also be sharing the highway with drivers who have decided to ease their holiday stress by enjoying recreational cannabis, which can lead to erratic driving.

Safety experts also blame poorly maintained vehicles for accidents and mishaps that happen at the end of the year. Car owners whose budgets are already maxed out from holiday shopping tend to put off tire rotations, replacing windshield wipers and other safety maintenance until the new year.

Take all of these things and add in early sunsets, a little snow and icy roadways and December quickly becomes the most dangerous month of the year to be on the roads.

How to Avoid the Craziness

The worst road congestion is expected to take place during the next two weekends leading up to the holidays. If you can run errands early in the morning or later in the evening you'll avoid most of the congestion. Even better, spreading out your trips during lunch breaks and before or after work will also help reduce the time you need to be out on the roads and lower your stress level.

Experts say that if you do need to be out during the busiest days of the year, you should focus on driving defensively. Allow others to cut in front of you and be aware of your surroundings. While it may take you a minute or two longer to get where you need to go, it's worth not ruining your entire holiday by getting into an accident.