When is the Most Dangerous Time to Drive?

Car accidents can happen at any hour of the day in Tennessee, and arguments could be made for various times of day as the most dangerous. For example, there is danger in the early morning from drivers who are too tired and fatigued, and there is also danger during rush hour when people are hurrying to get home—and may be more likely to speed. So, when is the most dangerous time to be on the roads?

There is one important distinction to make, and that’s between standard accidents and drunk driving accidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), rush hour is indeed the most dangerous, with the highest amount of accidents. This is due partially to people hurrying, but it’s also just due to the increase in traffic overall.

When looking at drunk driving, though, the danger starts at midnight. From then until three in the morning, the amount of drivers under the influence peaks. Accidents go up by 400 percent.

It’s also worth noting that the weekend can be even more dangerous than the week itself. A full 31 percent of all deadly DUI accidents happen during the weekend, despite its being far shorter. The most dangerous day of all is Saturday, consistently outranking every other day of the week.

Now, knowing when a drunk driving accident is most likely to happen can help you avoid it, but there is nothing you can due to ensure you are never involved in such a crash. If you are, you could be able to seek compensation, and you should know what rights you have if you’d like to go to court.

Source: BACTrack, “Other Dangerous Days and Times,” accessed July 22, 2015