The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System, as its name suggests, compiles data including the number of deadly U.S. crashes as well as their potential causes. Federal officials also regularly analyze the data collected by this program to identify trends as to when and where these crashes are most apt to occur.
An analysis of the 2016 data shows that motorists are the safest on certain days and at particular times during the week.
What days and times are most dangerous?
The NHTSA data shows that 37,461 motorists died in the U.S. in 2016. The safest day of the week appeared to be Tuesday, with an estimated 4,444 motorist deaths. The days with the three highest traffic fatality rates that year were Sundays, Fridays and Saturdays, which had 5,809, 5,826 and 6,802 motorist deaths respectively in 2016.
That same data revealed how these fatal car crashes were most likely to occur during the afternoon rush hour than any other time of the day. The NHTSA’s statistics showed how at least 6,200 of the deadly accidents in 2016 took place between 4:00 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. At least 6,067 motorists died between 7:00 p.m. and 9:59 p.m., making this the second most potentially fatal time to be on the road. Mornings between 7:00 a.m. and 9:59 a.m. saw 3,345 motorist deaths, which made that period twice as safe as the two later time frames.
Steps you should take following a crash caused by another driver
Most of us don’t have the luxury of staying off the road when the streets are the most dangerous. Our risk of suffering severe injuries or dying goes up as a result.
An experienced attorney can advise you of how Louisiana law allows you to recover compensation for any injuries you suffer in a crash or the loss of a loved one due to another motorist’s negligence. It’s unlikely that any amount of compensation will allow you to return to your pre-accident self and it won’t bring back your loved one. However, it can help minimize your financial burden.