Most people know to be extremely careful when driving on major holidays due to increased drunk driving. But have you ever wondered when the worst month, day, or time is to drive?
If you have, you’re not alone. As you might expect, any time during which alcohol use is increased tends to be more dangerous. For example, night time is more dangerous than day time. Over one-third of deadly accidents at night involve alcohol, compared to less than 10 percent during the day.
Other factors contributing to night time accidents include compromised vision, lack of adequate light, and driver fatigue. Darkness and problems with night vision can make it more difficult to drive safely, as well.
Holidays and holiday weekends follow this same pattern. Thanksgiving weekend and the Fourth of July see increased travel-related deaths, in part due to alcohol use.
A second factor leading to fatal road crashes is increased traffic. For instance, rush hour is the most dangerous time of day to drive from a straight numbers standpoint. The sheer volume of cars on the road presents challenges to even the best drivers. Many people often tailgate, and distracted driving is on the rise.
Lack of seat belt usage also contributes to increased crash death rates. Would you believe that seat bels usage appears to drop at night, at least for those killed in car crashes? “Of the people killed on the road after midnight, 71 percent were found not to be wearing a safety belt, versus 55 percent during the day.”
Now that you know about the dangerous effects of alcohol, increased traffic, and reduced seat belt use, let’s look at the bottom line. When are most dangerous dates, days, and times to drive?
- Rush hour is the worst time of day to drive from a straight numbers standpoint.
- Between midnight and 4:00 a.m. is the most dangerous time from a death rate standpoint (that is, number of deaths per driver).
- The most dangerous holiday to drive is the Fourth of July.
- Thanksgiving weekend is the most dangerous driving weekend of the year.
- August is the most dangerous month to drive and March is the safest.
Despite our best efforts, serious crashes with still occur throughout the year and at all times of day. Sorting out who is responsible often requires an examination of all the evidence after the wreck. If you or a family member was badly injured in a crash, call us at 888.777.1776 or use our online contact form. Delays can hurt your case, so please don’t wait.
