Life Saving Advice For The Solar Eclipse In El Paso

The upcoming eclipse will bring an unexpected, potentially fatal, danger to El Paso and the Borderland that one simple thing can prevent.

El Pasoans are looking forward to a couple of very cool events, two different eclipses and the return of the Amigo Air Show.  While these events are both exciting and eagerly awaited, there's a sneaky danger coming with them.

Under certain circumstances, it could get you killed.

Some parts of Texas are among the most ideal places to watch the solar eclipse. El Paso isn't in the path of totality but we'll still get a pretty good show, (be sure you dress accordingly for it), and we're absolutely the BEST place to see the Amigo Air Show.

There's a subtle danger here though and a little basic, common sense it all it takes to keep "fun and exciting" from becoming "horrible and tragic". Ready?

Keep your eyes on the road - you can't look up at the sky and drive safely at the same time.

“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,” Donald Redelmeier, lead investigator of the study, said in a statement. “These increases are similar in magnitude to the increased traffic risks observed around Thanksgiving.” - iflscience.com

It's easy to get caught up in these things right before you get caught up in another vehicle, a tree or run over somebody. Same goes for walking near streets or in parking lots, watch what you ... and others ... are doing.