Surprise fall deadliest driving safer winter
July 16th, 2009
Icy roads in winter and summer-clogged roads might seem the most dangerous for motorists, but new research says that when in his driving is more deadly.
A new report has found that in October of the year has the highest death rate per distance traveled. In fact, the risk of dying in an accident is 16 percent higher in October than in winter in March – the month’s most years.
"Everything else being equal, the weather – snow and ice – should increase the risk of driving," said Michael Sivak at the University Of Michigan Institute Of Transportation Safety in Ann Arbor. "However, due to inclement weather also leads to overall reductions in speed, the net effect is unclear."
Sivak analyzed monthly accident of death for U.S. 1994 to 2006, and reported their findings in the July issue of the journal Traffic Injury Prevention.
October had a mortality rate of 10.2 billion miles, compared with March’s 8.8 billion miles, he found.
November and December are still lethal, while February and March followed by April on security, said Sivak.
He said he knows of no reason why driving is more risky in October and March the safest.
"This pattern is probably the result of contributions by several factors," he wrote, saying further research could examine the seasonal effects.
A key factor could be the light of day, said Peter Kissinger of the Washington-based AAA Foundation. October combines the warmth of early fall on the extension of the hours of darkness.
"The risks at night are substantially higher than during the day," said Kissinger.
In the 13 years covered by the study Sivak, traffic deaths in the U.S. declined from 10.7 per thousand to 8.8 million kilometers.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced this month that 7689 drivers were killed in January and March this year, a decrease of 9 percent a year ago and a low not seen in nearly half a century. Defenders of traffic safety say there is no reason for pride or complacency.
"Leaving aside the days with the highest risk, often lose sight of the fact that motor vehicle deaths occur as a constant pace all year," said Russ Rader, spokesman for the nonprofit organization of profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. "Imagine if more than 100 people die in a plane crash every day. The country’s air fleet is based and the media and the public demands that something is done."
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