The week of Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times and, therefore, one of the most common times for major accidents, according to law enforcement.
Arkansas ranks as the fifth most dangerous state for Thanksgiving travel, according to a safety ranking by an independent team of safety and security experts. ASecureLife, which ranked the most dangerous states and the safest states to drive in is an "independent team of security and safety experts who advocate for consumers," according to its website.
The average fatality rate - the average number of fatal crashes per 100,000 in November 2013-17 - in Arkansas is 1.4, according to the site.
ASecureLife.com analyzed the number of fatal car crashes between 2013 and 2017 in each state during the month of November using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. From there, ASecureLife calculated the likelihood of an accident occurring this holiday season per 100,000 people in each state.
The other most dangerous states, according to the report, include Mississippi, North Dakota, Wyoming, South Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, New Mexico, South Dakota and Montana.
Police who work traffic accidents know that the week of Thanksgiving is one of the busiest of the year and plan accordingly, said Texarkana, Arkansas, Police Lt. Zachary White.
"We have funds from the state that we put toward times when traffic is heavy. Since Thanksgiving is one of the most heavily traveled times, we have officers out specifically targeting traffic concerns," White said.
Bill Sadler, spokesman for the Arkansas State Police, said he did not feel comfortable commenting on how a security company ranks states but that police know based on history that increased traffic during holidays can result in more accidents.
"Regardless of how Arkansas ranks, the state police makes sure there is additional personnel on the highways. We also know, based on previous years, that among crashes on state and U.S. Highways, there is a spike in accidents on the return trip," Sadler said.
Travelers leaving for home later than they planned is probably a factor, Sadler said.
"They are in a rush to get back home because often someone has to go to work the next day. It's a good idea for drivers to leave for their destination as early as possible so they do not feel rushed," he said.
Arkansas law enforcement officers from local, county and state departments are teaming up with the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on a high-visibility Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign that continues through this weekend.
The goal is to reduce the number of fatalities that occur when drivers and passengers fail to buckle up.
The campaign combines powerful messages about seat belt safety with stepped-up patrols by law-enforcement officers, many of them working exclusively to identify seat belt law violators.
"Wearing a seat belt always multiplies your chances of survival in a vehicle accident and it only takes a second to put one on," White said.
NHTSA estimates that proper seat belt use reduces the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passengers by 45% and the risk of moderate to serious injury by 50%. In 2016, about 14,668 people survived crashes because they were buckled up.
Serious vehicle accidents can also result from exhaustion, driving to fast or being distracted.
Plan ahead, don't rush and put the phone down. The message can wait," White said.
Sadler also advises drivers to keep extra vehicle lengths between themselves and the next vehicle and to slow down in wet weather.
"Take a deep breathe and get there safely. There is no sense causing harm to yourself or others," he said.
For more information about highway safety, please visit trafficsafetymarketing.gov or call the Arkansas Highway Safety Office at 501-618-8136.