New Study Reveals Time and Location of Riskiest Driving Incidents
A recent study has revealed that major metropolitan areas, particularly those near airports, pose a significant risk for drivers in the United States.
The study also identified the specific times of day and night when collisions are most likely to occur.
Lytx Inc., a leading provider of video safety and telematics solutions, has published its fifth annual “State of the Data” report, focusing on trucks and vehicle fleets. By leveraging the Lytx Driver Safety Program and analyzing over 36 billion miles of new driving data (totaling more than 221 billion miles) collected through Lytx’s DriveCam Event Recorders, the report indicates a decrease in overall risky driving despite an increase in the total number of miles driven in 2022.
Riskiest Driving Cities: Atlanta Improves, Dallas/Fort Worth Enters Top Five, New York Remains on Top
While several cities that were considered the riskiest for driving in 2021 still retained their positions in the top five, Atlanta improved its ranking to number seven, while Dallas/Fort Worth entered the top five. New York City remained in the top spot for the second consecutive year.
The following cities were identified as the top five riskiest for driving:
- New York City
- Philadelphia
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
- Dallas/Fort Worth
Additionally, the study identified the top five riskiest public roadways:
- Michigan (I-94 at Merriman Road, Romulus) – A complex airport interchange
- New York (George Washington Bridge near Riverside Drive, NY) – The world’s busiest vehicular bridge
- California (Edom Hill Road and Varner Road, Desert Hot Springs) – A lack of lane markings
- New Jersey (NJ19 and I-80 in Paterson) – A complex interchange, with highways merging into city streets
- Connecticut (I-95 near Fulton Terrace, New Haven) – A curved freeway entering the bustling port of New Haven
Airports Pose Growing Driving Risks
Airports have emerged as some of the most hazardous driving areas in the country. In 2022, 14 out of the 30 highest-risk sections of public and private roadways were located within two miles of airports, marking an 86% increase compared to 2021 when only eight of the top 30 high-risk roadways were in proximity to airports.
The study identified the following airports as the top five high-risk locations for driving:
- Denver International Airport
- John Glenn Columbus International Airport
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
- John F. Kennedy International Airport
- Newark Liberty International Airport
According to Kyle Warlick, Senior Client Intelligence Analyst at Lytx, airports present a higher risk due to various factors, including the abundance of intersections and transitions, a larger number of drivers who are unfamiliar with the routes, the density of vehicles, and the prevalence of distracted behaviors such as mobile phone usage.
Study Reveals Impact of Time, Weekdays, and Weather on Driving Collisions
The study also examined the impact of different times of day on the likelihood of collisions. Key findings include:
- The highest total number of collisions occurred during daytime hours (6 a.m. to 4 p.m.), with the peak at 11 a.m.
- Conversely, collisions per vehicle were highest during the late-night hours (2 a.m. to 6 a.m.), with 2 a.m. being the most likely time for a collision.
- The data revealed that the majority of collisions occurred when traffic volumes were highest during the day, while per-vehicle collisions were most frequent late at night when visibility is reduced, and traffic volumes were lower.
The study also found that the day of the week influenced the likelihood of collisions. In 2022, Tuesdays had the highest rate of collisions per vehicle, while Saturdays were the safest day with the lowest rate. Sundays ranked as the second safest day.
The findings indicate a strong correlation between high traffic volumes during weekday commutes and increased numbers of collisions, which is further supported by the lower collision rates observed on weekends.
Surprisingly, most collisions occurred under clear weather conditions, often as a result of animal strikes. The study revealed the following distribution of collisions based on weather conditions:
- 83.9% of collisions occurred in clear conditions
- 13.1% of collisions occurred during rainy weather
- 2.9% of collisions occurred in snowy weather
- 0.1% of collisions occurred in foggy conditions
Animal strikes accounted for 29.7% of collisions during clear weather and 9.4% during rainy conditions. In contrast, fixed objects were responsible for 11.7% of accidents in clear weather and 16% in rainy weather.
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