With signs of winter starting to settle in it’s time to increase the caution level behind the wheel. Since it gets dark so early this time of year it always puts me a little on edge, and unpredictable weather can lead to tricky and even dangerous driving conditions.
After going through some statistics I uncovered some surprising facts about where, when and how car accidents occur. It’s actually pretty easy to predict places to avoid and when to avoid them to reduce your chances of a crash. This information has allowed me to be proactive about protecting my passengers’ safety and myself at all times of year.
The “Where, When and How” of Road Collisions
Poring over provincial accident stats from Alberta and Ontario, I uncovered a few trends:
- July is the most dangerous month on the roads in both provinces in terms of the overall number of fatal accidents
- The month of October produces the highest number of collisions that result in personal injury in both Alberta and Ontario
- In Alberta, November is the most dangerous month of the year in terms of accidents that result in significant property damage
- In Alberta, 80 percent of traffic accidents occurred in urban areas; however, of car crashes in rural areas, nearly 70 percent resulted in a fatality
- In Ontario, 25 percent of traffic fatalities involved impaired drivers
With those stats covering major “where and when” trends, I did some digging into the “how” angle:
- Official statistics from the government of Ontario Ministry of Transportation show that rear-end collisions and single-vehicle collisions are the two most common impact types, accounting for nearly half of all accidents in the province
- Turning-movement collisions were the next-most common type of accident impact, and sideswipe and angle impacts also figured significantly in the overall statistics
Based on these figures, I would suggest the following strategies to improve overall road safety:
- Never drink and drive, or engage in distracted driving
- Use extra caution during the summer months, when roads are busier
- Take care in early autumn, when changing light conditions contribute to higher accident rates
- Always remain alert and allow plenty of following distance to reduce your chances of being involved in a rear-end collision
- Always proceed with caution when making turns
Safer Driving during Night-time Hours
I worry particularly about my parents driving at night, since they’re getting older and their reaction times are slowing down. However, all drivers are at increased risk during low-visibility night-time hours, Use these tips to stay safer when driving at night:
- Turn headlights on an hour before dusk and keep them on an hour after dawn to improve vehicle visibility
- Keep your instrumentation panel lighting low to reduce glare
- Focus attention on your side of the road to reduce the visibility impact of oncoming headlights
- Increase following distance, since it’s harder to gauge distances when it’s dark outside
- Don’t smoke in your vehicle when driving at night, since lingering smoke negatively impacts your ability to see where you’re going
Tips for Driving in Bad Weather
Statistically speaking, November, December and January aren’t quite as perilous as July, but still have higher accident rates than most other months of the year. This is largely due to bad weather conditions, so I wanted to highlight some tips for driving in inclement weather:
- Reduce your speed and avoid passing and changing lanes unless it’s absolutely necessary
- Make sure your windshield washer fluid is always topped up and keep your windows and mirrors clean
- Increase your following distance in wet and snowy weather, since you’ll need more time to brake
- Avoid hard braking, since this can lead to loss of control of the vehicle
- Do not use cruise control features when driving in snowy weather
- Reduce or eliminate in-vehicle distractions such as loud music and conversation between drivers and passengers
Great Service and Competitive Insurance Prices from a Progressive Provider
I’ve switched our car insurance to InsureMy, a progressive, technology-focused provider working in Alberta and Ontario. They offer outstanding claims support, friendly customer service and very competitive policy rates. They’re also an industry leader in rewarding safe drivers with generous claims reductions, so be sure to check them out if you’re in the market for a new provider.