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SEATTLE - When is the safest time to commute in Washington? A new study breaks down the most to the least dangerous hours on our roads.
Nationwide, it may not surprise many to learn the main rush hour from 5-6 p.m. is the most dangerous. However, the Evergreen state is different.
The most dangerous time to drive here is from 8-9 p.m. This is when the highest percentage (6.22%) of deadly crashes happen, according to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In neighboring Oregon, a higher percentage (6.9%) occur during the more typical 5-6 p.m. hour.
The safest time to drive in Washington is in the morning, specifically from 4-5 a.m. During this hour, only 2.07% of deadly crashes typically happen.
Washington’s most dangerous time to drive
- 8:00pm-8:59pm is the most dangerous time to drive in Washington, with 6.22% of all fatal crashes occurring then.
- 4:00am-4:59am was found to be the safest time, with just 2.07% of fatal crashes occurring at that time.
- 5:00 pm-5:59 pm is the most dangerous time to drive in 12 states, the most of any time of the day.
The study by injury lawyers Bader Scott analyzed fatal crash data from the NHTSA to see which times of the day saw the most fatal crashes in each state between 2017 and 2022.
Commenting on the findings, Seth Bader of Bader Scott said, "In a lot of states, times around rush hour have shown there to be more fatal crashes overall. This may be surprising to some, as many people find themselves to be stuck in traffic at this time. However, just having more cars on the road in general will increase your chances of having a serious collision."
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