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As temperatures increase, so do drunk driving crash risks

On Behalf of | Mar 17, 2023 | Car Accidents |

There are specific safety hazards that road travelers should consider at different times of the year. The back-to-school season results in a sudden surge in buses on the roads, for example.

Oftentimes, people think of the cooler seasons as a relatively dangerous time to be out on the road. However, a significant percentage of collisions annually occur during the warmer months. In fact, some common crash risks are of greater concern in the warmer parts of the year as opposed to the cooler seasons. For example, the risk of someone encountering a drunk driver tends to increase when the temperatures go up each year.

What crash statistics say about the seasonality of risk

Truthfully, crashes can and do occur throughout the year. New Year’s Eve is in the middle of the winter and has a strong association with drunk driving collisions. However, the warmer seasons tend to statistically see a higher percentage of annual drunk driving fatalities than the cooler months.

The summer months have a slightly higher portion of drunk driving fatalities than any other season. The warmest months are when 28% of drunk driving crashes occur, at least based on 2022 projections. The spring months take second place, with 26% of traffic deaths. The fall accounts for 25% of drunk driving fatalities, while the winter typically sees 21%.

Of course, there are other risks in the spring and summer, including spring rain showers making pavement dangerously slick and increased animal activity. Drivers should try to keep their vehicles and their minds ready for the seasonal risk factors throughout the year.

Drivers need to know their risks to stay safer

Those who really focus on learning about their biggest safety risks on the road can use that information to reduce their personal crash risk. Understanding that there may be more drunk drivers present when ambient temperatures rise may lead people to be more assertive about their own safety when driving and more cautious about whose vehicle they enter.

Drivers who know about insurance and their right to take irresponsible motorists to court in some situations could help them limit the long-term consequences of a crash after one occurs. Learning about what causes car crashes and also about how to respond after one happens can help protect those who drive on a regular basis.

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