Like many people who drive on roads and highways in Florida, you want to minimize your risks of getting into an automobile collision. Not every day presents an equal chance of a car wreck, though. Studies have shown that some days are more dangerous than others for motorists.
Not only do you run a greater risk that you may run into an irresponsible driver on certain days of the week, but there are also specific hours of the day that may pose an increased chance of injury or death in an accident.
More crashes on Friday
Per Bankrate, Friday is the day of the week when car wrecks are the most common according to data provided by the NHTSA. Car crashes tended to concentrate in the hours between 3 p.m. and 5:59 p.m. NHTSA data reported 303,000 crashes during this period of time.
There are a number of reasons for the spike in collisions. Basically, there are many more vehicles on the road during these hours on Friday. Workers are coming home from their jobs during this time. However, this is true for weekdays in general. Fridays contribute more traffic because motorists are also on the road starting their weekend travels.
More fatalities on Saturday
Still, Friday was not the deadliest day for motorists according to the NHTSA. The chances of getting into a fatal wreck actually go up on weekends during the early morning and the late evening. Saturdays in particular are deadly because they tend to have the highest number of fatal crashes, occurring between 9 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
The evening and early morning hours occur after sunset and before sunrise, so drivers are navigating environments with little light available. The main problem, however, is the number of drunk drivers. DUI arrests occur the most during Saturday night. Coupled with the lack of sunlight, a drunk driver will have problems seeing other motorists and could cause a deadly accident.
Plan your drives
Knowing the most dangerous times on the road can be an asset. You may plan your drives for safer time periods. Even if you have to drive during certain hours, you may attempt routing your travels through areas with less traffic. Not every collision is avoidable, so make sure you have the appropriate insurance and that first aid is available in your automobile.
