When and Where Most Car Accidents Occur

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When and Where Most Car Accidents Occur

April 27, 2022

Unfortunately, as more people are on the roads, more car accidents are bound to happen. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported in 2020 that car accident deaths are on the rise over the last couple of years. Shockingly, in 2020, a total of 38,824 people lost their lives.

Specific times, days, and holidays when car accidents happen

Car accidents in Atlanta can happen anywhere including on the highways or in rural areas, and at any time of the day including days, nights, and holidays. There are specific days and times, according to statistics, when you should be even more diligent while you are driving. Our Atlanta personal injury law firm is breaking down the most specific times, days, and holidays that most accidents occur.

Car accidents increase during the popular holidays

When you’re on the road during a holiday weekend, it can feel like everyone else is also driving to see friends or family. This makes sense, and we all know that holidays are busy travel times. Popular holidays where it’s also common to have a few drinks, unfortunately, mean more driving accidents. AutoInsurance.org reported these holidays with higher than averages car accident deaths,

Memorial Day – has 20.8% higher than average
Labor Day – has 20.0% higher than average
Independence Day – has 18.6% higher than average
Cinco de Mayo – has a 13.0% higher than average

Holidays that actually show the least amount of car accident deaths include;

Christmas – has 12.4% lower than average
Ash Wednesday – has 11.4% lower than average
President’s Day – has 11.1% lower than average
Easter – has only 3.1% higher than average

In fact, one of the days to have the least number of car accidents is January 2nd. Did you know that Halloween is another popular holiday where fewer accidents occur? Children are out and about everywhere during trick ‘o treating and people tend to be more cautious when driving because they are aware of children walking about on Halloween

Certain days and weather conditions cause more car accidents to occur

Weekends are a time to run errands, visit friends and family, or even just drive to your favorite restaurant. It makes sense that when more people are out and about it’s more likely that car accidents occur. According to the National Safety Council, the three highest accident days are Saturday, Friday, and Sunday.

People tend to be out later as the warmer weather approaches. During the spring and summer months, most car accidents occur between 8 pm and midnight.

Unexpected road conditions because of rainy and snowy weather greatly affect when car accidents happen. You can read this article, to make sure you are prepared to drive safely during certain weather conditions. Although we don’t have a lot of snow in Atlanta we do have a high rate of car accidents in the winter months. The most common time for car accidents, during the months of October through March, is between 4 pm and 8 pm.

Common Reasons for Car Accidents

Many different things can cause a car accident, however, the top five most common are;

Distractions – This often includes cell phone usage. However, in-car distractions such as loud music, eating while driving, or fixing hair or makeup.
Sleepiness – It’s often been said that driving drowsy can be just as dangerous as driving drunk.
Alcohol and drug use – Between 1/4 and 1/3 of all fatal collisions involve alcohol or drug impairment on U.S. roads.
Speeding – A speeding driver has less time to react to a sudden incident.
Aggressive driving – This is when someone shows anger and unsafe behavior while behind the wheel.

There are even some strange reasons for car accidents. Drivers have had fits of numerous sneezes and crashes. Or an insect inside the car caused the driver to panic and cause an accident. Some people have also claimed they saw a ghost or UFO. This could also perhaps be a side effect of drowsiness.

Involved in a Car Accident in Atlanta?

Most car accidents in Atlanta are preventable if each driver is alert and driving properly. However, unfortunately, car accidents do happen. If you are involved in one, it is important to contact an Atlanta car accident attorney you can trust.