With the month of August beginning in just a few days and students preparing to return to school for the 2018-2019 school year, it is important to recognize that the month of August has been identified as the “most dangerous driving month of the year.” While summer months altogether have been deemed as the most unsafe time to drive, August seems to be the peak time for when traffic accidents occur.
PR Newswire shared some shocking statistics that reveal why this month out of all others is the most dangerous.
- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reported that 15,914 people died in motor vehicle accidents in August over the course of a five-year period (2012-2016). With the number of deaths recorded, it put August as the deadliest driving month of the year.
- August 2nd is the deadliest day to drive out of the entire year. The IIHS also reported that over a five-year timespan (2012-2016), there were more vehicular crashes on this date nationwide than any other day.
- Members of Nationwide reported 60,979 accidents in August 2016, which is more than any other month over the last four years.
Based on data collected from Nationwide’s SmartRide program, there are a number of factors that contribute to making the month of August among the deadliest for drivers. These include hard braking, suddenly speeding up, and time spent in congested driving conditions. When drivers aren’t paying attention or are riding too close to the vehicle in front of them, they often have to hit their brakes abruptly. Sometimes, this prevents them from slamming into the car in front, but often times it doesn’t keep the driver behind them from rear-ending their vehicle.
Abruptly speeding up also increases the chances of an accident occurring as you don’t always give yourself enough time to stop if traffic were to slow or if the driver in front decided to hit their brakes. Sitting in congested traffic conditions also contributed to the increase in traffic accidents as drivers tend to become frustrated and drive more aggressively and recklessly after having to sit in traffic for an extended period of time.
Aside from determining what factors contributed to more crashes during the month of August, after studying data from various states, Nationwide identified the states that had the highest frequency of the factors mentioned above. That information is provided below.
- Hard Breaking- Georgia, Arizona, and New York.
- Fast Accelerations- New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.
- Time spent in idle mode- Arizona, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and New York
Now that you are aware of how dangerous the month of August is for drivers, it is important that you and your loved ones drive with added caution. In the event you are the victim of a recent car accident in Madison, MS, don’t hesitate to contact Ballard Law, PLLC. We can help you get your insurance claim filed, file a dispute if you find your insurer isn’t covering your claim, or even file suit against a negligent party who caused you to suffer a severe injury.
Call us today to get your consultation scheduled so that we can determine how we may be able to help you get through this difficult time.
You can reach Ballard Law, PLLC. at:
108 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
769-572-5111
