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Scientists caution that, based on past data, the April 8th total solar eclipse in the United States could lead to an above average amount of fatal accidents.
According to an analysis of the spike in fatal traffic accidents during the 2017 solar eclipse in the U.S., there is a pretty good chance that with an estimated 20 million people traveling to get a better look at the eclipse in 2024, the same thing will happen.
The scientists who studied this trend shared a research letter published on Monday in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine addressing the issue.
“We found a significant increase in traffic risk in the U.S. around the time of the total eclipse, averaging to one extra vehicle crash every 25 minutes and one extra crash fatality every 95 minutes. The total amounted to 46 extra deaths linked to the eclipse,” Dr. Donald Redelmeier, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto and lead author of the study, said in a statement. “These increases are similar in magnitude to the increased traffic risks observed around Thanksgiving.”
Usually when a total solar eclipse occurs people only hear about someone burning their retinas or that it is the work of Satan, but as Redelmeier mentioned, just like the holidays, the road can be much more deadly during this time.
“The findings likely derive from increased traffic, travel on unfamiliar routes, speeding to arrive on time, driver distraction by a celestial event, drug-or-alcohol-impairment from related celebrations, or eclipse viewing from unsafe roadside locations,” Redelmeier explained.
Depending on your location, you will be able to see the total solar eclipse for around 2.5 to 4.5 minutes, while the rest of the country will only see a partial eclipse. (Assuming you are wearing certified and approved eclipse safety glasses, of course.)
“We’re especially concerned about the drive home,” Redelmeier told Live Science.
Between the skyrocketing prices of hotels in areas where the eclipse can be seen best, prisoners chomping at the bit to get a look at it, and this warning from scientists it might just be best to stay in bed on April 8th.