One more reason to hate Tax Day … increased car crashes. That’s right, based on 30 years of statistics analyzed in a Journal of Medical Association study, during the week that taxes are due, fatal car crashes rise an average of 6 percent. The increase in risk is similar to that found on Super Bowl Sunday, a day notorious for drinking and driving.
The findings suggest a variety of feelings associated with preparing and paying one’s taxes (including stress, irritability, impatience and distraction) result in unsafe and aggressive driving. It makes sense that late nights preparing tax forms, fretting about getting them right and, of course, making timely payment could affect people’s judgment.
This year Tax Day falls on Tuesday, April 17th but we urge you to be particularly cautious driving this whole week.
