August most Deadly Month for Car Accident Fatalities
January is ranked as the second highest month for car accident fatalities due largely to winter driving conditions like snow, minimal sun-light and ice. Many will be surprised then that August is actually the most deadly month for car accident fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Summer is a dangerous time on the road because warm weather brings extra congestion with summer road trips, motorcycles and bicycles and teenagers out of school.
August car accident fatalities statistics
According to NHTSA data, August had the most total deaths on the road in 2008 at 3,612; a 1.1 percent drop from 2007. NHTSA further reported that when counted as fatalities per 100 million vehicles, August had a fatality rate of 1.42; 0.10 points higher than the fatality rates for September and June.
Causes for increased car accident fatalities in August
More motorcycle drivers and bicyclists
In 2013, 56 out of every 100,000 registered motorcycles was involved in a fatal vehicle crash compared to only nine out of every 100,000 passenger cars, according to the NHTSA. Many motorcycle accidents are caused by the fault of another driver on the road. In fact, the most common cause of motorcycle accidents is the failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in the flow of traffic.
A fact sheet posted on pedbikeinfo.org states that 726 people were killed in bicycle verses motor vehicle accidents in 2014. This is a huge increase from 2011 when 682 bicyclist fatalities were reported in bicycle verses motor vehicle accidents. These deaths represent just over two percent of the total number of people killed and injured in traffic crashes in 2014.
More teenagers on the road
With school out during the summer, there are more teenagers driving on the road for more hours per day. In the summer months, the average number of teen driving deaths increase 16 percent compared to other times of the year. Teenagers are three times as likely to be involved in a collision as adults 20 years or older. This is due mostly to inexperience and distractions such as friends or cell phones. In a revealing study of 2,229 dash-camera videos taken through a program with Lytx DriveCam cameras between 2007 and 2015, it was found that 58.5 percent of teen car accidents were caused by driver distractions like talking and texting on cell phones.
Data collected by the NHTSA and released by the AAA in June, 2016 revealed that an average of 1,022 people (more than 10 per day) died during the 100 days after Memorial Day during each of the last five years in car crashes involving teens.
Road rage due to congestion
Summer brings more cars to the road, which increases congestion and frustration. Road rage is as senseless as it is common in areas with high traffic congestion. Road rage typically manifests as a result of the frustration that one driver feels over the poor driving actions or inactions of another driver. There may be shouting from inside a vehicle but sometimes the situation escalates into intentional tailgating or retaliatory traffic maneuvers. This type of temper tantrum results in attention being pulled away from the road and other drivers and can increase the risk of a traffic accident.
If you or a loved is dealing with an accident or injury, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
