It is easy to assume that car accidents happen more in the winter with icy roads, but accidents are actually more common in the summer, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
Driving in the winter in snow and ice is certainly an intimidating task for most, but when you think about it there are a number of good reasons why driving in the summer is actually more hazardous.
First, in the summer, teenage drivers are out of school and that means they are out on the roads. Teen drivers are more likely to be in a car crash than any other age group. According to The American Automobile Association (AAA) the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are the most deadly of the year and an average of 10 individuals a day lose their lives in crashed involving teens.
Second, you can blame all that fun in sun. The pleasant weather of the summer also, odd as it sounds, adds to more traffic accidents. Summer brings vacations, which means more travelers on the road, including vacationers who aren’t familiar with the roads and traffic patterns. There also is more traffic in general and more people pulling trailers with boats, RVs, and other fun summer toys. With summer fun also comes more alcohol at summer pool parties and barbeques which increases the cases of drunk driving. The summer heat can also take its toll on people, resulting in drivers not feeling well. Being out in the sun all day can result in dehydration and driver fatigue.
Excessive heat during the summer can result in dehydration and driver fatigue. When drivers are tired or not feeling well, their reaction time, attention span and judgement may be impacted which could cause a car crash. Additionally, the summer heat can cause vehicle equipment failure resulting in tire blowouts and disabled vehicles that raise the risk for car accidents.
Road construction also increases in the summer. Road construction brings with it detours, driver distraction, traffic and stressed out drivers. Sitting in construction traffic in the heat also results in tire blowouts, running out of gas, and cars overheating.
In short, the relaxation of summer is far more dangerous than the slow moving winter travel.
