Driving danger: Time, day and month when most deadly crashes occur in each state

New research has revealed that, on average, the most dangerous time to drive in America is between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., on any Saturday during the year, and in October in general.

The study by Forbes Advisor analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data from 2016 to 2020 to reveal the number of fatalities from road accidents in each U.S. state for each hour, day, and month. 

The results show that most dangerous hour to drive in the U.S. is evening rush hour between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., with 8,563 road deaths recorded in that time over a five–year period. The second most dangerous hour is from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., during which time 8,387 fatalities occurred between 2016 and 2020, while 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. has the third highest total, with 8,241 deaths.

When Forbes Advisor analyzed road deaths by day, the highest total occurred on Saturdays – 25,907 fatalities were recorded on the first day of the weekend, compared to 23,147 on Fridays, for the second highest total, and 23,038 on Sundays in third place.

On a national level, the most dangerous month to drive is October. The study found that there were 13,566 road accident fatalities during the month. July is the second deadliest month with 13,483 deaths, and September’s total of 13,404 is the third highest.

Looking at individual states, the most dangerous time in 13 states was 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., including in New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, Nevada and Georgia.

In the majority of states the hour when the most road accident deaths occurred was generally between 3:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. However, in South Dakota the highest number of fatalities happened between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., while in Maryland the most dangerous hour fell between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., and in Rhode Island it was 12:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.

In total, 40 states have Saturday as their most dangerous day to drive, while six states had Friday as the day with the highest number of crash fatalities – Washington, New Hampshire, Vermont, Delaware, Oklahoma and Mississippi. Thursday is the most dangerous day in West Virginia, while it was Sunday for New Jersey and Nebraska, and Monday for Rhode Island.

Monthly data shows that July is when the highest number of road accident deaths occur in 14 states, including Colorado, Nebraska and Indiana, while September and October are the most dangerous in 12 states each.  Outliers included Florida, where March ranks as the month with the highest number of fatalities, Arizona, where April was the most dangerous month, and Hawaii and California, where November is the most dangerous.

A spokesperson for Forbes Advisor said, “Car accidents and fatalities can occur at any moment. However, this data makes clear that specific hours, days, or even months are more dangerous than others — and this timing can differ considerably depending on what state you’re driving in.  While some accidents are unavoidable, there are plenty of things that will increase the risk of crashing. Speeding, driving under the influence, and using a cell phone while driving can result in car accidents, and endanger your life and those around you on the road. It’s always important to ensure you have a good car insurance policy in place. Having the right insurance protection can save you thousands of dollars if you’ve involved in an expensive accident.”

Each state and the hour, day and month with the highest number of fatalities from traffic accidents: