- There are about 445 police-reported collisions a day in Canada.
- Collisions are more likely to happen on Fridays.
- It’s a myth that most collisions happen at an intersection where two roads meet.
Accidents, collisions, and fender-benders. No matter what you call them, they happen a lot and could affect your auto insurance rate. In Canada, about 445 police-reported collisions happen a day, and while you should always take care when behind the wheel, there are times and conditions when collisions are more likely to happen*.
1. Summer vacation
Most drivers might think they’re more likely to get into a collision when conditions are wintery. But the reality is there are more collisions in July than in any other month, followed by November and December.
2. Frantic Fridays
Maybe it’s because we’re all in a rush to get home to kick off the weekend, but for many drivers, the weekend starts off on the wrong foot. Seventeen percent of all police-reported collisions in Canada happen on Fridays, followed by 16% on Thursdays. The day with the fewest collisions is Sunday.
3. The evening rush
The evening rush hour (starting at 3 p.m. and ending at 6 p.m.) is easily the time of day most prone to collisions. This three-hour period in the late afternoon accounts for 25% of all collisions that happen over the course of the day.
4. Mid-block collisions
It's a myth that the majority of collisions happen at an intersection. Technically, more collisions happen mid-block (47.1%), while accidents at an intersection of two roads come in a very close second (46.9%). Collisions on a freeway, traffic circle, ramp, bridge overpass, or tunnel happen with considerably less frequency.
5. When the sun is out
Sunny days make drivers gloomy. At 71.5%, collisions are overwhelmingly more likely to happen on days that are clear and sunny, compared to days when it’s raining, snowing or when visibility is limited due to fog or drifting snow.
Car collisions and your car insurance
Take care, stay safe, and drive carefully to keep your car insurance premiums in check because a collision where you are found to be at fault (even if you're only partially at fault) can be a costly hit to your wallet. Don’t let an at-fault accident increase your rate. Drive safe and avoid driver distractions to keep your premium low.
Of course, accidents happen to even the best drivers, and with InsuranceHotline.com, it takes just a few short minutes to compare quotes from our network of over 30 insurance providers. Make sure you’re not missing out on lower auto insurance premiums and shop your rate today.
* Canadian car accident statistics come from the last five years' worth of data available at Canada's National Collision Database.
