The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) released a study of when traffic accidents happen the most. The data confirmed what most people would guess intuitively — like the dangers of distracted driving — but there were some interesting nuances within.
Rush hour is a busy time for drivers and accidents
It won’t shock anyone to know the most common time of traffic accidents is the 6-9 p.m. block when commuters come home from work. Nor will it be a surprise to learn that 9-12 p.m. is also high and that the accidents after midnight are largely alcohol-related.
Holidays cause spike in traffic accidents
Nor is it headline news that major holidays — Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day — see a significant spike in auto crashes. And most people would likely guess the Fourth of July to be a particularly dangerous time for teen drivers.
Why do auto accidents happen at these times?
What stands out is what’s not in the data. Why is morning rush hour not closer to the evening rush in terms of traffic accidents? The common theme among all of these accident-heavy time slots is large traffic volume. While drivers in the evening may be a little more drained, how often do morning commuters have to keep the sleep out of their eyes and sip a cup of coffee while operating the wheel?
Is there a takeaway from all of this?
Yes.
All of these high-accident time blocks are when we’re in a hurry to see those we care about — the drive home from work and the family trip on a three-day weekend.
We’d like to offer a solution to make more time for family and friends and thereby reduce the desire to rush when you do have the chance to see them. That’s beyond our scope. We do feel confident in saying though, that the marginal extra time you gain in pushing yourself to “get there” isn’t worth the pain they’ll feel if they get that dreaded phone call from the state highway patrol.
If you do find yourself in the unfortunate situation of an accident, you should always follow the proper steps.