Many people assume that most accidents happen on the open highways, the potential drowsiness or repetitiveness of a long drive causing most accidents. You may be surprised to know that in fact most accidents occur within 40 kilometres from home. Experts think the relaxation that comes from driving a familiar route lulls us into a false sense of security, only to leave us unable to react swiftly when we encounter an unusual situation. If you’ve ever pulled up at home only to realise you have no memory of driving there, you’ll know what they’re talking about. By stay alert on all drives, you can reduce your chance of being in an accident. Maintain proper driving form, even when you turn into your own street, and buckle up even if you’re just going around the corner. An unexpected event with an animal or surrounds (such as tree branches) or other drivers acting unpredictably can happen anywhere.
Particular times of day can also contribute to the likelihood of you having a car accident, as can days of the week. Perhaps not surprisingly, most accidents occur in the late afternoon and evening. This time coincides with heavy traffic from people heading home after a long day at work, along with worsening lighting conditions. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 23% of fatal crashes and 27% of crashes where a participant was hospitalised occur between 4pm and 8pm. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the worst days for car accidents are Friday or Saturday, with 17% of all crashes causing death or injury occurring on those days. They followed closely by 15% on Thursday or Sunday.
Lastly, there are other factors that greatly influence the likelihood of a car accident occurring, no matter where you are driving. These include the use of alcohol and drugs, speed, drive tiredness, and illegal/dangerous overtaking and manoeuvring. From accidents where the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was known, 29% of fatalities and 22% of people hospitalised had a BAC of 0.05 or more.