The possibility of a motor vehicle collision is a constant safety concern. Crashes can occur at any time and in locations that people feel are safe. Parking lots, where driveways meet streets and even sleepy residential roads can be the settings of severe collisions. Crashes can occur when someone heads home from work on a Tuesday or during a Saturday grocery store run.
It is impossible to predict when an individual might cross paths with someone not fully complying with traffic laws. A collision could potentially occur anywhere and at any time. However, there are certain trends that become apparent when analyzing motor vehicle collisions. There are some locations that tend to see more collisions than others. There are also certain times when individual crash risk is higher than average.
After the sun sets
The National Safety Council (NSC) makes it very clear that nighttime is when the roads are the most dangerous. Nighttime driving can be risky because of impaired visibility. Drivers are also at risk of encountering impaired motorists. A significant percentage of fatal collisions occur after dark, including a large percentage of drunk driving wrecks.
During the afternoon rush hour
Many busy roads see a sudden increase in traffic volume in the morning as people head into work as part of the morning rush hour. There is another rush hour at the end of the day as people head back home. Statistically, the afternoon rush hour on weekdays between 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. is a particularly dangerous time to be on the road. Drivers are more likely to get into a crash on the way home from work than they are on the way in or throughout much of the rest of the week.
On major federal holidays
Many of the worst crashes that occur involve alcohol intoxication. There is a significant and predictable increase in drunk driving on major holidays most years. When holidays fall in the middle of the week, the weekends that perceive them or follow them might also see increased drunk driving risk.
When risk levels are higher than average, motorists may need to be more caution while in traffic. Learning more about collision statistics can help those interested in reducing their personal chances of being involved in a major wreck.