With the recent arrival of winter, and the holidays approaching, it is important to keep driving safety a top priority. While we are all looking forward to spending time with family and friends, the winter months are the riskiest when it comes to motor vehicle accidents.
Allstate Canada, a prominent automobile insurer, shared collision data in its recent newsletter. According to the company's analysis, December, January and November generated the highest volume of insurance claims in a year.
Most Canadians understand the risks associated with winter driving. Snow, icy roads, and poor visibility are common occurrences, and can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles. We are frequently consulted by individuals injured by drivers who were unable to manage the conditions.
Other reasons for winter accidents include:
- Earlier sunset. After daylight savings time ends, the sun sets earlier, impairing drivers' vision when they are driving west.
- Busy time of year. The holiday shopping must be done so drivers are taking trips to the mall and other stores more frequently.
- Impaired driving. There are many holiday parties and get-togethers in December, and some drivers leave these events impaired. That often leads to accidents and injuries on our roadways.
To keep yourself safe, make sure that you adjust your driving behaviour to the environment and that you always maintain a safe driving speed and distance from other vehicles.
Drivers should also be prepared in the event of a crash or breakdown, when help may take a while to reach them. The federal government suggests all cars should carry these items in winter:
- Plastic bottles of water that won't break if the water freezes.
- A blanket.
- Extra clothing and shoes or boots.
- First aid kit with seatbelt cutter.
- Small shovel, scraper and snowbrush.
- Candle in a deep can and matches.
- A windup flashlight.
- Sand, salt or cat litter (non-clumping).
- Jumper cables.
Winter tires are also essential, experts say, since the performance of all-season tires can begin to drop when the temperature is below seven degrees Celsius. When that happens, you will have less control of your vehicle and will be unable to stop quickly.
The importance of being properly equipped for winter driving has been a cause that Gluckstein Lawyer has championed over the years, as shown in blog posts such as Winter Driving Safety Begins With You and Winter Driving Safety Tips.
Riskiest Days.
Allstate Canada's collision data analysis also included the following data points with respect to the riskiest days and hours:
- Fridays, followed by Thursdays, are the riskiest days of the week with the highest number of incidents that result in customers submitting a claim.
- Half of all incidents (50%) occur in the afternoon, between noon and 6 p.m.
- The three most common reasons for making a collision-related claim are due to rear-end crashes, a hit to a parked car, and changing lanes.
People may be more fatigued at the end of the day, or by the end of the week, which could be the cause of this trend. A driver must always be alert and ready for anything. A distracted or fatigued driver will lead to accidents.
Riskiest Age.
Age plays a part in accidents. Transport Canada's National Collision Database gathers information on all reportable motor vehicle collisions in Canada.
It shows that in 2022, people between the ages of 25 and 34 suffered the most fatalities and injuries in auto accidents. In total, this group incurred 323 deaths and 1,624 injuries in accidents. Those ages 35 to 44 were next, with 263 dying on the road and 1,343 suffering serious injuries.
Regardless of age, fatal accidents have been increasing. According to Transport Canada, 1,931 people lost their lives while driving in 2022. That was up six per cent from 2021 (1,821) and was the second-highest count in the last 10 years.
Other statistics include:
- The number of serious injuries increased to 8,851 in 2022; up 8.1 percent from 2021.
- The number of total injuries increased to 118,853 in 2022; up 9.5 percent from 2021.
- The number of fatalities per 100,000 population increased to 5.0 in 2022 (from 4.8 in 2021).
- 2022 saw a small decrease in the percentage of passengers killed who were not wearing seatbelts, whereas drivers saw a small increase.
- Impaired driving was the leading cause of death at 23 percent.
- Driving too fast and distracted driving were next at 21.9 and 19.9 percent respectively.
Contact Us for Assistance.
If you or a loved one are injured in an accident due to the actions of another person, you need to speak to a member of the Gluckstein Lawyers team. We have the knowledge, experience, and skill to make the strongest case for accident benefits and/or damages. Not only are we familiar with the strategies insurance companies use to limit their exposure to your legitimate claims, but we also have access to a network of experts who can be called on to properly assess your injuries or disabilities.
Whatever the day or month, Gluckstein Lawyers is here to help you obtain the compensation you deserve after an accident. The team at Gluckstein Lawyers have been helping victims of motor vehicle accidents for almost 60 years. We have the expertise to handle the most challenging and complex cases. Contact us for a free consultation.