Car wrecks can happen anywhere at any time, but some times of the day and year can be more dangerous than others. A recent study conducted by the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office reveals that in 2020:
- More traffic deaths occurred on Monday than on any other day of the week
- October was the deadliest month in terms of traffic fatalities
- The most traffic deaths occurred between 3:00pm and 3:59pm and 5:00pm and 5:59pm
How can we use this information to enhance safety on Oklahoma roads? Some of this data may be merely the result of coincidence, but we can glean some commonsense driving tips from the study results.
Avoid rush hour when possible
The most dangerous drive times are in the late afternoon, just when everyone is driving home from work and school. If you commute for a living, you can’t avoid rush hour, but if you have a choice, you will likely be safer driving outside of those dangerous hours when the roads are at their most congested.
Be extra careful driving after sundown
Oklahoma’s October spike in traffic deaths is not far from the national trend which shows September as the most dangerous month. There is less daylight during the fall months and drivers should always be especially alert when driving during twilight and other lower visibility conditions. This is also the time of year when many rural roads are filled with traffic from farm vehicles, adding an extra element of danger during harvest season.
Never let your guard down
While Monday saw more traffic deaths in Oklahoma than any other day, certain times of the day and week present their own unique dangers. Weekend nights tend to see an increase in drunk driving accidents. Weekday traffic can create hazards in school zones.
The best policy is to always keep your guard up and treat every trip as if it is on the most dangerous driving day of the year.
Careless drivers never take a day off. If their negligence has caused you or a loved one a serious injury, remember that you have legal options at your disposal.