Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, Florida’s roads carry residents heading to family gatherings, shoppers filling parking lots, and millions of visitors in rental cars on unfamiliar highways. More cars, more alcohol, more fatigue, and more distraction add up to a season when crashes spike. If you are hurt in a holiday collision, the days after the crash matter more than most people realize, because doctors’ offices close, insurers slow down, and legal deadlines keep running.
This guide covers the specific risks of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas on Florida roads, what to do after a crash, and how PIP, uninsured motorist coverage, and fault rules affect your claim.
By the numbers: AAA projected a record 81.8 million Americans would travel for Thanksgiving 2025, including 73.3 million by car. In Florida, state data showed 7,308 crashes and 43 fatalities between the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday after in 2023, with the most crashes on that Wednesday.
Thanksgiving: Why the Wednesday Before and the Sunday After Are Dangerous
Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday of the year. AAA’s 2025 forecast projected 81.8 million travelers over the seven-day holiday period, nearly 90 percent of them driving. This year, Thanksgiving falls on November 26, and AAA’s 2026 forecast is due this week. Expect similar volume, with the heaviest traffic on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons and again on Sunday, November 29.
Florida’s own numbers show the same pattern. According to state crash data reported by Florida Politics, there were 7,308 crashes and 43 fatalities in the five days around Thanksgiving in 2023, and most crashes happened on the Wednesday before the holiday. Impairment is a recurring factor: the Florida Highway Patrol reported that more than 28 percent of fatal crashes during Thanksgiving week in 2022 involved at least one impaired person.
Florida adds a risk most states do not have. Orlando is consistently one of the top rental car markets at Thanksgiving, which puts large numbers of unfamiliar drivers on I-4 and Central Florida toll roads. For local context, see our guide to the most dangerous roads in Lake Mary and Seminole County.
Black Friday: Parking Lots, Pedestrians, and Distracted Shoppers
Black Friday is November 27, and the crash risk moves from highways to shopping centers. Parking lots are crowded, drivers circle looking for spaces, and pedestrians cross between rows with arms full of bags. Low-speed collisions in lots can still cause real injuries, including whiplash and soft-tissue damage that does not show up until the next day. Our post on soft tissue injuries after a Florida car accident explains why.
Fault in a parking lot crash is often disputed because there are fewer traffic signs and no clear right of way. Photos of vehicle positions, store security camera footage, and witness contact information are especially valuable, and stores often overwrite video within days, so ask for it immediately. If you were hit as a pedestrian, read our guides for Seminole County and Orange County. Cyber Monday on November 30 also puts extra delivery vans on neighborhood streets; see our post on claims involving Amazon delivery drivers.
Christmas and New Year’s: Impaired Drivers, Tourists, and Fatigue
Christmas falls on a Friday this year, so many drivers will travel the weekend before and after, stretching peak traffic over several days. Holiday parties, long drives, and visitors who do not know Florida’s roads create a mix that police work hard to interrupt. Law enforcement runs a statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign through New Year’s Day, and state data cited by the Attorney General’s office counted more than 6,200 impaired-driving crashes in Florida in 2022, resulting in more than 1,100 deaths.
If an impaired driver hits you, our guide to being hit by a drunk driver in Florida explains your options. Florida law may allow a claim for punitive damages in serious cases if a court permits it under Fla. Stat. § 768.72. Claims against a bar or restaurant that served the driver are limited by Florida’s dram shop law, § 768.125, which generally applies only in narrow situations such as serving a person under 21 or someone known to be habitually addicted to alcohol. Visitors hurt while traveling should also read our post on car accidents on vacation in Florida.
Common Causes of Holiday Crashes in Florida
The causes are familiar, but they intensify during the holidays. State officials have pointed to following too closely, sudden braking, speeding, and careless driving as contributing factors in Thanksgiving crashes. Impaired driving rises with parties and celebrations, long trips lead to drowsy driving, shoppers circle lots while glancing at their phones, and visitors who do not know Florida’s roads make abrupt lane changes and missed exits. Sudden Florida downpours add to the danger. When another driver’s carelessness causes your crash, that conduct is the foundation of your claim, which is why photos, witness statements, and the police report matter so much.
Rental Cars, Out-of-State Drivers, and Why Holiday Claims Get Complicated
Florida’s holiday traffic includes drivers from other states and countries, many in rental vehicles. That raises questions an ordinary crash does not: whose insurance applies, whether the rental company or its coverage is involved, and how to reach a driver who flies home the next day. At the scene, get the driver’s full name, license and insurance information, and the rental agreement details whenever you can, and photograph the license plate and any rental company markings.
Florida’s fault and deadline rules generally apply to a crash that happens here, although which insurance pays can depend on the policies involved. Insurers are also short-staffed during the holidays, so claims can stall for weeks. Waiting does not stop the two-year clock, and evidence such as security video and vehicle data can disappear in the meantime, which is why early legal advice matters.
What to Do After a Holiday Crash in Florida
- Call 911. Florida law requires you to immediately notify law enforcement of a crash involving injury, death, or apparent property damage of at least $500 under Fla. Stat. § 316.065. Our post on whether you have to call the police explains what counts.
- Document everything. Take photos of the vehicles, plates, road conditions, and injuries. Get names and numbers for witnesses and note nearby cameras.
- See a doctor within 14 days. This is the rule most affected by the holidays. Many clinics close or cut hours, but PIP medical benefits generally require initial care within 14 days, so use an emergency room or urgent care if you must. See our post on delayed pain symptoms.
- Be careful with insurers and social media. Do not give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer, and avoid holiday posts that show you active. Our guides to social media and injury claims and common mistakes after a crash explain why.
- Call a lawyer early. Evidence disappears and adjusters move fast. Our step-by-step guide covers the full process.
How a Holiday Crash Affects Your PIP and UM Coverage
Florida is a no-fault state. Under Fla. Stat. § 627.736, your own PIP coverage pays up to $10,000 in medical and disability benefits regardless of who caused the crash, covering 80 percent of reasonable medical expenses and 60 percent of lost income. The full amount requires an emergency medical condition determination; without it, medical benefits are limited to $2,500. For the full explanation, see our post on the Florida no-fault rule and our guide to who pays your medical bills.
Holidays bring a higher share of out-of-state, rental, and uninsured drivers, and Florida does not require most drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage. If the at-fault driver has no insurance or too little, your own uninsured motorist coverage under Fla. Stat. § 627.727 may pay. Our guide to uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explains how it works, and our post on hit-and-run accidents covers drivers who flee.
If you are driving for work during the holidays, such as making deliveries or running errands for your employer, you may also have a workers’ compensation claim. See our posts on Black Friday delivery driver injuries and retail employee injuries.
Fault, Deadlines, and Time Off Work
Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule can bar your recovery if you are found more than 50 percent at fault under Fla. Stat. § 768.81(6), which makes holiday parking lot and intersection disputes especially important. A negligence lawsuit generally must be filed within two years under § 95.11(4)(a). Our guides to the statute of limitations and the 2023 tort reform changes explain how those rules work, and our post on how insurers reduce injury claims covers common tactics. If your injuries keep you out of work, our guide to FMLA after a car accident explains how to protect your job while PIP and other coverage replace income.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to report a minor parking lot accident?
If anyone is hurt or the damage appears to be at least $500, Florida law requires you to notify law enforcement immediately. Because repairs often cost more than that, reporting is usually the safer choice.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?
Possibly. Under Florida’s comparative negligence rule, you generally cannot recover if you are found more than 50 percent at fault. If you are 50 percent or less at fault, your recovery is reduced by your share.
What if the crash happens on a holiday and my doctor is closed?
Go to an emergency room or urgent care. The 14-day PIP window keeps running through holidays, and prompt treatment also creates the medical records your claim depends on.
What if the other driver is from out of state?
You can still pursue a claim. Get the driver’s identification and insurance information at the scene, report the crash, and talk to a lawyer promptly, because locating and serving a driver who has left Florida can add time and complexity.
Talk to a Lake Mary Car Accident Lawyer After a Holiday Crash
If you were hurt in a holiday collision, our Florida car accident lawyers can help you coordinate PIP, evaluate uninsured motorist coverage, and pursue the at-fault driver. If you were hurt near Seminole County, see our Lake Mary car accident lawyer page, or start with our auto accident overview.
Graves Law Practice
We handle personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no attorney’s fees unless we recover compensation for you. Your consultation is free.
142 W Lakeview Ave #2070D, Lake Mary, FL 32746
Call or text (407) 308-0327 or contact us online
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and benefit limits change, and every case turns on its own facts.