Each year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration collects information about traffic accidents, including collisions that cause fatalities. Recently, AVVO evaluated that data and reported their observations. And while AVVO is a directory that helps people find attorneys to represent them, their report of the risky driving times is interesting.
DAY OR NIGHT?
Of course, bad weather can put us all at risk more than ideal driving conditions. But considering mild weather, when is the worst time of day to drive? The answer is discouraging. Millions of Americans drive to work each day. With heavier numbers of vehicles, chances, of course, increase the risk of an accident. But, while most may assume the overnight hours are the most dangerous, the actual riskiest time is 4pm to 7pm. It seems America is not in a rush to get to work, but rather, are anxious to get home AFTER work. This ‘after work’ rush time is worse than the morning commute and hours overnight where drivers have a higher chance of being impaired. In fact, the 2nd worst time is 7pm to 9:59pm.
There are several reasons for the 4pm-7pm risk…people are tired after a long day at work, stress is higher because of the work day, and during certain times of the year, the evening sun is a dangerous factor for the most seasoned driver.
DAY OF THE WEEK
The most recent statistics are proving one day is the most dangerous of the week. Saturday is the riskiest day of the week, on a national average, for deadly accidents. This is probably not shocking, due to more careless driving on the weekends. But interestingly, for us Oklahomans, Friday is the worst day. In fact, Oklahoma made the list of the Top 5 in the nation for fatalities as a result of an accident on Friday.
HOW TO DECREASE RISK
Of course we can’t stop traveling altogether to avoid these riskier driving times. We just can’t choose to stop our daily commutes, especially in Oklahoma, with more miles than many states between towns. But what we should do is the usual safe practices. During these dangerous times, as well as at all times, staying away from distracted driving is safest. Keep your mind and eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.
Also, increased traffic usually means congestion. Make sure you have plenty of room around other vehicles and when stopped in traffic, have a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you.
While we may not be able to avoid driving during these riskier times, we can decrease our chances of an accident, by driving smarter and safer.