What Day of the Year Has the Most Car Accidents?
Each year, thousands of people are involved in fatal car accidents. Data from the National Safety Council shows that, in 2019, an estimated 38,800 people died in a motor vehicle accident. That’s 2% less than the year before, but still, thousands of people didn’t make it home to their families because of a fatal accident on the road. As more people drive more frequently over longer distances, it can be helpful to understand which days of the year are the most dangerous for driving.
Fatality rates vary significantly depending on the time of year and conditions of the road. Many might assume that the most dangerous day of the year for car accidents would be during the winter months due to icy road conditions, or on a holiday that’s linked to heavy drinking, like St. Patrick’s Day. Surprisingly, the one day out of the year with the most car accidents is in the summer – on July 4. According to the most recent data gathered by the IIHS in a snapshot period between 2014–2018, July 4 averaged the most fatalities, with other days in the summer months closely behind. Overall, 660 people were killed on July 4 over a four-year average, with a yearly average of 132 deaths.