Using data from 40 billion miles traveled in 2023, video safety and video telematics provider Lytx released its 2024 State of the Data report, identifying risks and roadway behaviors that fleets should be aware of to ensure the safety of their drivers and the motoring public.
A record 3.26 trillion miles were traveled on U.S. roadways in 2023, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Capturing 140 million driving behaviors, 29 million risky events, and enabling the coaching of 24 million events through its platform in 2023, Lytx found that more miles driven equate to higher safety risks. From 2022 to 2023, driving risk increased by almost 10% while collisions increased by 3%.
See also: Unraveling the gridlock: How traffic congestion stifles urban growth and quality of life
“Road travel surged to record highs in 2023, and with more vehicles come more risks, as well as increased logistical complexity,” Lytx Chairman and CEO Brandon Nixon, said. “It’s crystal clear that the need for safety and efficiency amid increasingly congested roadways has never been stronger.”
The Lytx safety report identified three factors contributing to risky or unsafe driving, among others; those three include risky driving behaviors, the top five riskiest areas to travel, and the riskiest times to be on the road.
Times when being on the road poses the most risk
Riskiest times of the day to drive
In many instances, more traffic on the roads can lead to more risk. This is especially true during commute hours or rush hour timeframes. However, Lytx data uncovered that driving during afternoon commute hours, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., is three times riskier than during morning commute hours. Overall, hours in the p.m. are riskier to drive, according to Lytx data. The 6 p.m. hour is the riskiest time to be on the road, followed by 7 p.m., 5 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. The safest time to drive in the U.S. is from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m., with the 7 a.m. hour being the safest time to drive.
See also: Tips and tricks for safer night driving
Riskiest days of the week to drive
The riskiest driving days of the week are Wednesday and Thursday, according to Ltyx data, with the highest collisions per vehicle occurring on Wednesday and the second highest on Thursday. Sunday is the safest day of the week to drive followed by Saturday.
Riskiest holidays to drive
The worst day of the year to travel is Christmas Day (Dec. 25). The safest holiday to be on the road is Halloween (Oct. 31).
“On Christmas Day, roads can be busy with holiday travelers rushing to reach their destinations in time, with winter weather potentially playing a role, too,” Warlick said in the report. “On the other hand, those who celebrate Halloween tend to want to be home and stay off the roads.”
Lytx ranked the U.S. holidays from the riskiest to the safest in 2023:
- Christmas Day
- President’s Day
- New Years Eve
- Marting Luther King Day
- Memorial Day
- Christmas Eve
- Independence Day
- New Years Day
- Veteran’s Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Labor Day
- Halloween
Silver linings of the Lytx safety report
“Across the board, all industries saw an increase in near collisions from 2022 to 2023,” the report stated. However, while there was an increase in near collisions, the increase in actual collisions was only 3% compared to last year.
“This suggests that, as roads got more congested, commercial drivers seemed to be getting better at avoiding collisions on a per-mile basis through defensive driving skills and/or more attentive driving,” the report stated.
See also: How real-time coaching can boost fleet efficiency and safety
This assumption underscores the importance of driver coaching, and video telematics can help fleet managers coach more effectively. “I want to put my drivers in the winning position,” Jeff Martin, Lytx’s VP of global sales strategy, told FleetOwner at an industry event in the fall. “I want to protect myself, my company, and certainly, all motorists.”
