The Only Law Firm You’ll Ever Need

Alcohol, speeding and the most dangerous times to drive

On Behalf of | Jul 31, 2018 | DUI/DWI |

The experts who track roadway fatalities in our country seem to be as focused on gathering facts as the people who put baseball statistics together.

Thanks to the information-gatherers, we now know which day of the week is safest for drivers, what time of day is the most dangerous to be behind the wheel and more.

A little background

According to 2016 information compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, vehicle crashes and the resulting fatalities are on the rise following a decline in traffic deaths over several years. Avvo, a legal referral and review site, analyzed the NHTSA data to determine how and when such crashes happened.

Breaking down the data

Avvo analysts found that of the 37,461 roadway fatalities that happened in 2016, 6,802 occurred on a Saturday. This was 53 percent higher than the fatalities that occurred on a Tuesday, which, with 4,444 vehicle crash deaths, turned out to be the safest day of the week to drive. On weekdays, afternoon rush hour is more deadly than the morning commute. The most dangerous time to drive is between 4:00 pm and 6:59 pm, followed by the 7:00 pm to 9:59 pm timeframe. Motorists are safest in the morning hours between 7:00 am and 9:59 am.

Major causes

The NHTSA tells us that one of the major causes of roadway fatalities is drunk driving. An experienced attorney can also confirm that speeding is another major cause. It is a form of aggressive behavior that resulted in the deaths of 10,111 people in 2016, which represented about 27 percent of all fatal roadway crashes that year. Like driving under the influence of alcohol, speeding leads to the very real possibility of losing control of a vehicle, which, in turn, may lead to more severe injuries or death. Vehicle crashes can happen in the blink of an eye, which is why it is critical for all drivers to remain sober and vigilant on any day—or  night—of the week.