Summer is a time of sunshine and adventures with friends and family. However, it is also the time of year when the risk of a car accident increases for a number of reasons. Here is a look at five of those reasons.
1. The Newest Drivers Are Spending More Time on the Road
In the summertime, school is out and teens are traveling to activities and adventures with their friends. For most teens, the first summer with wheels is an enjoyable rite of passage. However, the statistics indicate that teen driving is more than just fun in the sun. According to statistics compiled by Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania:
- Teen drivers are nine times more likely to be involved in a car accident than adult drivers are. Teens are six times more likely to be involved in a fatal car accident than adults. The risks of motor vehicle accidents are higher among 16 to 19 year old drivers than any other age group.
- Most crashes involving teen drivers are caused by one of three critical errors: speeding, distractions, and the failure to adequately scan the roadway and react to hazards.
- The majority of teen drivers still have significant deficits in their driving skills at the time when they obtain their licenses.
2. Holiday Gatherings Often Mean Drinking and Driving
If you were to ask 10 people on the street what holiday produces the most drunk drivers, most of them would probably say New Year’s Day. It’s true that New Years is dangerous—according to an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report, analysis of fatal car accidents occurring between the years of 1998 and 2014 found an average of 135 deaths from fatal car accidents on the first day of the year. This was the second-highest number of deaths on any day of the year, coming behind only July 4, which had an average of 141 car accident deaths. July 4 is also the deadliest day of the year for motorcyclists.
As noted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol impairs three functions of the brain that are critical when driving: thinking, reasoning, and coordination. Even a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.02 percent—well below the legal limit—produces a decline in visual functions and the ability to complete more than one task at a time. At the legal limit of 0.08 percent, alcohol has impaired the driver’s concentration, short-term memory, ability to control speed, and ability to process information. Additionally, the driver at the legal BAC limit will experience poor muscle coordination that impacts his or her ability to react to dangers in a timely manner, a harder time detecting danger, and a lack of judgment.
3. Cone Zones Are Danger Zones
Teen drivers and holiday gatherers aren’t the only ones whose presence increases during the summer months. Work zones for road construction and repair also increase in the summertime. According to information from the Federal Highway Administration:
- Between 2016 and 2017, fatal crashes in work zones increased by 3 percent even as fatal crashes occurring outside of work zones decreased by 1.5 percent.
- Arterial roads are the most common place for fatal work zone accidents to occur, followed by work zones on interstates.
- Fatal accidents caused by speeding in a work zone increased from 194 in 2016 to 203 in 2017.
Cone zones aren’t only dangerous for motorists driving through them, but for the workers as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers additional statistics about accidents in work zones:
- Transportation-related accidents are the leading cause of fatal roadway work zone occupational injuries. More than half of these fatalities involved a worker getting hit by a car.
- An average of 121 fatal work-related injuries happens at road construction sites each year.
4. Watch Out for Fellow Travelers on Two Wheels
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that the ten deadliest days of the year for motorcyclists occur during the summer months. Danger doesn’t simply increase due to warm weather, but rather the number of accidents increases because more motorcyclists take to the road in the summer months. The Motorcycle Legal Foundation adds that, in 2016, there were 84 motorcyclist fatalities in a three-day time frame over the late-May Memorial Day weekend. In the five days surrounding July 4, there were 90 fatalities to motorcyclists. The Labor Day weekend featured 95 motorcyclist fatalities in a four-day time frame. These numbers are all much higher for motorcyclists than the holidays that occur in the winter months. Some of the traffic dangers faced by motorcyclists include:
- A lack of visibility to motorists which leads to a higher risk of accidents
- Vehicle occupants who fail to look for motorcyclists or bicyclists before opening their doors to exit the vehicle on the side of the road
- Speeding drivers who deprive themselves of the time necessary to see and react to potential roadway hazards such as motorcyclists
- Lane splitting, where the motorcyclist rides between two lanes of slow-moving or stopped traffic. This practice reduces the space needed for the motorcyclist to maneuver and places him or her in close proximity to other vehicles
- Alcohol impairment for either the motorcyclist or drivers of cars.
5. Blowing the Tires
Tire blowouts can create a traffic hazard at any time of the year, but they’re more frequent in the summertime. The reason for this is that the heat of summer causes the air within the tire to expand. If the tire is worn, it can blow due to this increased tire pressure. The likelihood of a blown tire increases at highway speeds, or with frequent braking and turning on hot pavement. Motorists are encouraged to check their tire pressure regularly. In order to get an accurate reading, check when the tire is cold and make sure it is filled to the manufacturer’s recommendations, as an under-inflated tire will heat up faster and increase the chance of a blowout due to more rubber on the road and increased friction.
Call an Attorney for More Information
Stay safe this summer, but if are in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, call an attorney who can help you understand your legal options. Most car accident lawyers offer free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, so you have nothing to lose.
