The Most Dangerous Time of Day For A Car Accident

Have you ever wondered what the most dangerous time of the day is to be behind the wheel of a car? The chances of being involved in an accident will increase as the number of vehicles increases on roads and highways. Rush hour, holidays, and seasons may also increase the odds of an accident. However, a large factor in motor vehicle accidents is related to the amount of alcohol impaired drivers on the road. Knowing the safest time to drive can help you plan your trips safely year round.

The most dangerous time of the day to drive is between 5:00 pm and 7:00pm. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that approximately 13 people are killed during what is typically deemed the “rush hours”. There are many factors that contribute to this time frame being statistically prone to accidents. People are tired from long days at work, anxious to get through traffic and return home or arrive at their destination and sun glare is optimal. Realizing that you are driving during a time in which a high incidence of accidents occur may help you to be more aware, avoid driving at those times and be extra cautious when driving.

Saturday is the most dangerous day of the week to drive. Saturday plays host to celebrations, late night parties, holidays and alcohol related incidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Saturday has more traffic related fatalities than other days with an average of 158 traffic related fatalities each Saturday. Additionally, Saturday has the highest number of fatalities compared to the percentage of vehicles on the road ways with 1.2 deaths for every 100 million drivers.

Alcohol plays a large role in the motor vehicle deaths on Saturdays, An Automotive Association reports that 31% of fatal drunk driving accidents occur on weekends with the greatest number of drunk drivers on the roads between the hours of midnight and 3 am. Vehicular accidents resulting in fatalities are four times more likely to occur at night than in the day. In 2010, more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving accidents. That is equal to one death every 51 minutes.

Summer months offer excellent weather with more day light hours, dry roads and excellent visibility. However, they reported twice as many fatalities during summer months as opposed to the rest of the year with August being the most dangerous month to drive. It is also reported the Fourth of July as the most dangerous day to drive due to wide spread celebration and massive alcohol consumption and August as the most dangerous month to drive.

Be cautious when driving at night on holidays and remember that, from 5pm to 7pm, rush hour is a particularly dangerous time to drive. Knowing the most dangerous times of the day to drive will help you to plan a constructive road map of safety for the upcoming events in your life.