Motorists Most Likely to Die in Massachusetts Car Accident in August

A Foxboro man involved in a recent Massachusetts car accident had to be airlifted by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital. He was injured when he was thrown from a pickup truck that rolled over twice after colliding with another vehicle at South and West streets.

The accident closed the busy intersection for about an hour, according to The Sun Chronicle. This was the first of two serious accidents that happened on South Street on Tuesday. The accident happened when the truck, heading northbound on South Street, collided with a car, rolled over twice and ended up on its wheels.
111147_steering_wheel.jpg
Only three hours later, a woman drove her mini van into a utility pole on South Street just about a mile from the first accident. The front wheel of the van was knocked off in the crash.

Our Boston car accident attorneys understand that your chances of dying in a car accident during the month of August are much greater than during any other month of the year. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 2005 to 2009 statistics conclude that seven of the 25 deadliest days overall on our roadways are in August.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reports that, from its records going back to 1994, more Americans die in car accidents during the month of August than any other time of the year.

August has an average death rate of 1.09. September comes in second with a death rate of 1.08. March is the safest month on our roadways with a death rate of 0.94. While the change may seem small, it amounts to thousands of additional accidents.

During 2009, an average of 93 people died because of traffic accidents on U.S. roadways every day. That’s an average of one death every 16 minutes, according to MSN Money.

You typically face more risks during the weekends, compared to the weekdays. Weekends are a time when residents get out and run extra errands, visit family and take day trips. Weekends are also a time when the presence of drunk drivers increases.

Saturdays are typically more fatal than Sundays. In 2009, Saturdays averaged 123 deaths nationwide while Sundays saw an average of 107 deaths. Fridays closely followed with a 102 average deaths.

Run all your errands on a Tuesday because that’s your safest time on our roads! Tuesdays have an average of 69 fatalities.

The rest of the daily fatality rate averages:

-Mondays: 79 deaths.

-Wednesdays: 78 deaths.

-Thursdays: 84 deaths.

“A large proportion of crashes happen in late afternoon and early evening in general, but especially in August,” says Russ Rader, a spokesman for the institute. That’s when the roads fill up both with commuters and vacationers.

One reason for the nation’s high death rate is probably because millions of Americans continue to drive without wearing a seat belt despite decades of pro-belt campaigns.

“If everyone buckled up on every trip, we would sharply reduce the number of fatal crashes that we expect to happen this summer,” Rader says.

If you have been injured in a car accident in the Boston area, contact Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorney Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777.

Additional Resources:

Man airlifted in Foxboro crash, by Stephen Peterson, The Sun Chronicle
More Blog Entries:

The NTSB Releases Most Wanted Drivers List – Includes Boston Drunk Drivers, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, July 8, 2011

SUVs to Better Protect Motorists Involved in a Boston Car Accident, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, June 14, 2011

Feds Urge Tire Safety to Reduce Risks of Car Accident in Boston and Elsewhere, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, June 6, 2011

Contact Information