Crashes by Time of Day and Day of Week

On average in 2021, fatal car crashes were more frequent on weekends, peaking on Saturday. The number of nonfatal crashes tended to be higher on weekdays, peaking on Friday.

For both fatal and nonfatal crashes, the peak time of day was 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m., but peak crash periods vary substantially over the span of a year:

  • During the spring and summer months, fatal crashes tended to peak between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
  • In contrast, the nonfatal crash peak is earlier in the summer, from noon to 3:59 p.m.
  • From November through March, the peak for fatal crashes was from 4 p.m. to 7:59 p.m.

Explore 2021 fatal and nonfatal crash trends by using the “month of crash” filter at the top of the interactive chart.

  • Chart
  • Data Table
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Source: National Safety Council (NSC) analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and Crash Report Sampling System (CRSS) data sets.