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4 Surprising Causes of Car Accidents

Daylight Savings Time, Eclipses and more

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By Susan Meyer Info icon
Updated August 30, 2024
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Susan Meyer

Senior Editorial Manager

Susan is a licensed insurance agent and has worked as a writer and editor for over 10 years across a number of industries. She has worked at The Zebr…

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  • Licensed Insurance Agent — Property and Casualty
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Ross Martin

Insurance Writer

Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. He specializes in writing insurance content to help shoppers make informed decisions.

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  • 5+ years in the Insurance Industry
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  1. Eclipses
  2. Holidays
  3. School start times
  4. Daylight savings time

Car accidents are something we all try to avoid. And yet there are, on average, over 40,000 fatal crashes a year.[1] And we know there are some key things to avoid to stay out of trouble behind the wheel.

  • Don’t drink and drive. About 32% of all fatal car crashes each year involve alcohol.[2] 
  • Don’t drive recklessly. Aggressive and reckless driving contributed to 18.5% of fatal car accidents.[3]
  • Don’t text and drive. 8% of fatal car crashes each year are connected to distracted driving.[4]

However, there are some interesting statistics that show that some things are a bit more out of our control. And there are some surprising correlations to car accidents that might initially seem unrelated.

Eclipses

In 2024, a total solar eclipse passed over much of North America. A solar eclipse can have a significant impact on car accidents due to the sudden changes in lighting conditions and the heightened distraction it causes among drivers. During an eclipse, the sky gradually darkens, which can lead to reduced visibility on the roads, similar to twilight conditions. This unexpected dimming can catch drivers off guard, potentially leading to slower reaction times and an increased likelihood of accidents.

Additionally, the rare and visually captivating nature of a solar eclipse can distract drivers who may attempt to watch the phenomenon while driving, further increasing the risk of collisions. One analysis found a 31% increase in traffic risks around the time of the eclipse — that’s an extra crash-involved person every 25 minutes.[5]

Holidays

It’s probably not too surprising that car crashes are often highest on some celebratory days. The combo of higher traffic volume, alcohol consumption and driver fatigue can be a recipe for disaster. As more people travel to visit family and friends or go on vacations, the roads become more congested, increasing the likelihood of accidents. So which holidays saw the biggest spike in 2024? 

The following are based on estimates from the National Security Council predictions for 2024 compared to the average number of car accidents deaths per day (117).[6]

  1. July 4th  Weekend – 411% increase in car accident fatalities
  2. Thanksgiving Day – 333% increase in car accident fatalities
  3. Labor Day Weekend – 288% increase in car accident fatalities
  4. Memorial Day Weekend – 257% increase in car accident fatalities 
  5. New Years – 220% increase in car accident fatalities 
  6. Christmas Day – 194% increase in car accident fatalities

School start times

Do schools start too early? One study found that later school start times can reduce car crashes in teen drivers. The results of the study found that the crash rate in 16-to-18-year-old licensed drivers decreased from 31.63 to 29.59 accidents per 1,000 drivers after they delayed the school's start time by 50 minutes.[7]

In many ways, this makes sense, as teens are often staying up late and, if they are also rising early for school, they may be driving on less than adequate sleep. As already inexperienced drivers, the addition of impairment from lack of sleep can lead to poor reaction times and overall diminished driving skills.

Daylight savings time

Even if you’re not a student, the lack of sleep can affect us all. And there’s one time of the year when we all (well except for Arizona and Hawaii) collectively lose an hour of sleep: Daylight Savings Time. 

One study found a 6% increase in fatal accident risk following Daylight Savings Time.[8] Drowsy driving has a significant impact on alertness and response times. In addition to having a changed sleep schedule, many drivers are suddenly heading out for their daily commute in darkness leading to reduced visibility.

Wrapping up

If you’ve been personally victimized by Daylight Savings Times, your kids’ school start time, holiday traffic or a celestial phenomenon and crashed your car, you’re not alone. Here are some resources that can help:

What to do After a Car Accident

Car Insurance After an Accident

The top five causes of fatal car accidents and how to avoid them

 

Sources

  1. Overview of motor vehicle crashes in 2022. [NHTSA]

  2. Drunk driving. [NHTSA]

  3. Facts and statistics: Aggressive driving. [Insurance Information Institute]

  4. Texting and driving. [National Safety Council]

  5. Total solar eclipse drew an increase in traffic accidents. [CNN]

  6. Holiday traffic accidents. [National Safety Council]

  7. Study suggests later school start times reduce car crashes, improve teen safety. [American Academy of Sleep Medicine]

  8. Daylight savings time may spark increase in car crashes. [Vision Monday]