On average in 2020, fatal car crashes were more frequent on weekends, peaking on Saturday. The number of nonfatal crashes tended to be higher on weekdays, peaking on Friday.
For both fatal and nonfatal crashes, the peak time of day was 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m., but peak crash periods vary substantially over the span of a year:
- During the spring and summer months, fatal crashes tended to peak between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
- In contrast, the nonfatal crash peak is earlier in the summer, from noon to 3:59 p.m.
- From October through March, the peak for fatal crashes was from 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m.