What Time of Day Do Most Car Accidents Happen

Below outlines the 2020 NSC analysis of NHTSA FARS data – including fatal and non-fatal car accidents by time of day and day of week.

Table of Contents

Key Highlights

  • For both fatal and nonfatal crashes, the peak time of day for most car crashes was 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m. in 2020.
  • During the spring and summer months, fatal crashes tended to peak between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
  • From October through March, the peak for fatal crashes was from 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m.
  • On average in 2020, fatal car crashes were more frequent on weekends, peaking on Saturdays (6,162).
  • The number of nonfatal crashes tended to be higher on weekdays, peaking on Fridays (878,732 in 2020).

Non-Fatal Car Crashes By Time of Day

Non-Fatal Car Crashes By Time of Day
Time of dayTotal accidents
Midnight-3:59 am293,311
4:00-7:59 am528,821
8:00-11:59 am898,988
Noon-3:59 pm1,390,774
4:00-7:59 pm1,463,872
8:00-11:59 pm639,134
Total5,214,900

Non-Fatal Car Crashes By Day of Week

Non-Fatal Car Crashes By Day of Week
Time of dayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Midnight-3:59 am33,67328,14532,18730,33138,35059,44971,176
4:00-7:59 am81,58890,70087,65793,20088,15242,34045,184
8:00-11:59 am133,600143,751145,144143,459143,614114,16375,257
Noon-3:59 pm192,950200,588212,811216,185243,289177,966146,985
4:00-7:59 pm199,686217,928231,699238,182252,758174,052149,567
8:00-11:59 pm79,20169,98079,61793,645112,569118,72685,396
Total720,698751,092789,115815,002878,732686,696573,565

Fatal Car Crashes By Time of Day

Fatal Car Crashes By Time of Day
Time of dayTotal accidents
Midnight-3:59 am4,782
4:00-7:59 am4,300
8:00-11:59 am4,012
Noon-3:59 pm6,234
4:00-7:59 pm8,151
8:00-11:59 pm7,974
Unknown313
Total5,214,900

Fatal Car Crashes By Day of Week

Fatal Car Crashes By Day of Week
Time of dayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturdaySunday
Midnight-3:59 am5274164744725961,0491,248
4:00-7:59 am602612637610647591601
8:00-11:59 am595580571576603621466
Noon-3:59 pm812838851929941968895
4:00-7:59 pm1,0081,0881,0901,1221,2831,3561,204
8:00-11:59 pm8979461,0291,0841,3841,5211,113
Unknown33413734485664
Total4,4744,5214,6894,8275,5026,1625,591

Source: National Safety Council (NSC) analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) data sets.

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