If you know your front steps are icy, you take special care when going down them. By being aware of and understanding some basic traffic collision statistics, you will know to take special care to avoid high-risk situations.
Two-thirds of the time, the causes of collisions are related to driver condition or improper action.
Some of the most common contributing factors to collisions are:
- driver inattention
- failing to yield the right of way
- driving too fast for road conditions
- driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- disregarding a traffic control device
- driver inexperience or confusion
- following too closely
- backing unsafely
- changing lanes or passing improperly
Other information you should know about collisions:
- Most traffic collisions occur during peak traffic times such as late afternoon and early evening.
- December and January usually have the highest total number of collisions.
- July and August are when the most severe collisions and the most traffic deaths occur.
- Alcohol is a factor in about 5% of all traffic collisions and in about 40% of all fatal collisions.
- Approximately 90% of all collisions in rural Saskatchewan are single-vehicle collisions.
- Wearing a seatbelt can decrease your chances of being killed or seriously injured in a collision by as much as 50%.