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Sometimes, it’s prudent to put the brakes on before you even make it to your car.
According to statistics, there are an average of about 100 fatal road accidents in the United States every single day. But nobody takes the “average” trip: where and how you drive makes a significant difference to your odds of getting home safely. For instance, you are four times more likely to be involved in a collision if you drive while using a phone.
And your probabilities of evading an accident are also higher if you drive at particular times of the day, week, and year — and these factors, in turn, vary from state to state. To help America’s roadway users keep those roads a little safer, The Clunker Junker team used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to determine the safest times to drive in the United States — and the hours, days, and months when it’s most reasonable to leave the keys in your pocket.
An average of 5.57 fatal collisions take place between 9 and 10 pm, making it the most dangerous time to drive.
4 – 5 am is the safest time to drive, with an average of 2.34 fatal collisions across the United States during that period each day.
Saturday is the most dangerous day to drive, with an average of 4.68 fatal accidents per hour, peaking at 7.08 between 9 and 10 pm.
September is the most dangerous month to drive (106.48/day), and March is the safest (80.95).
Coastal U.S. states tend to be more dangerous in the evenings, while central states are most dangerous in the afternoon.
The Most Dangerous Hours to Drive in America
Poor visibility, tiredness, and driver impairment can all make roads more dangerous, especially at night. Data from the National Highway Safety Administration indicates that the highest amount of fatal accidents occur between 9 pm and 10 pm, with an average of 5.57 accidents daily. Statistically, you are safest between 4 am and 5 am, where lighter traffic conditions cause 2.34 deadly accidents per day.
The Most Dangerous Times to Drive by State
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists road traffic accidents as a leading cause of death among people aged 1-54 in the United States, recommending safe and careful driving at all times. However, statistics show that certain times of day put motorists at higher risk of fatal accidents.
In Texas, 223 deadly crashes occur on average each year between 9 pm and 10 pm, with the state’s department for transportation reporting a 15% increase in fatalities in 2021.
The Most Dangerous Times in the Week to Drive in America
According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, over 46,000 people lose their lives in a traffic accident in the U.S. each year. According to our research, Saturday evenings are statistically the most dangerous. 7.08 fatal accidents per hour occur on average between 9 pm and 10 pm across the country.
The Most Dangerous Months to Drive in America
Summer road trips are a ritual in America, with drivers using their vacation time to drive across the country. However, official traffic safety data reveals that the weeks between Memorial and Labor Day are the most dangerous for fatal accidents. 106.48 crashes with a death occur on average each day during September, making it the deadliest month on the calendar on U.S. roads.
Methodology
The Clunker Junker sourced fatal accident data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and grouped the data by hour of day (nationally and on a state-by-state basis), weekday and month.
The Clunker Junker team also determined the top ten days of the year with the most accidents.
You need to correlate time of day to number of cars on the road!