What Is the Correlation Between Traffic and Accidents?

The dynamics of traffic and car accidents are sometimes not what you would expect. Most people would assume that the greater the traffic congestion, the greater the number of accidents. Likewise, you might think the less traffic there is, the less accidents there will be. Ironically, this not the case.

According to the National Institutes of Health, traffic has been studied for close to 100 years. Moreover, the results related to traffic are mixed.

Higher numbers of accidents occur when traffic reaches high levels of congestion. In contrast, high numbers of accidents also occur when traffic is at its lowest levels.

Studies showed that lower traffic conditions led to driving at increased speeds. As a result, the unsafe speeds increased accidents. Accidents during high traffic volumes occurred due to the greater number of vehicles on the road. However, at the highest volumes with lots of congestion, speeds were very low, which led to safer driving.

Other Factors Also Came into Play with Traffic and Car Accidents

The type of drivers who were out on the road made a big difference. Age, behavior, alcohol consumption and distraction by passengers made drivers more prone to having accidents. During the holidays, alcohol consumption spiked with celebrations. More drunk drivers were out. In fact, people who frequently engaged in drunken driving were 2.6 times more likely to be involved in an accident than people who did not drink and drive.

Road conditions were another factor that influence drivers. Increased snow and rain led to increased car crashes. Also, fatality rates were proportionate to the size of car. Consequently, people in cars that were half the size of the other vehicle were at 13 times greater risk of dying in a collision.

Have you been seriously Injured or lost a loved one in a traffic accident?

Discuss the accident with our attorneys at Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP. We offer a free consultation to review the accident and evaluate recovering compensation for damages.