If you are looking to avoid a Chicago car accident, stay off the road or be very cautious on Fridays between 4 and 8 p.m. That is statistically the most likely time for an accident according to 2009 crash data recently released by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
A total of 41,348 urban crashes occurred on Fridays last year; the next-highest day was Thursday, when 37,300 crashes occurred in urban areas. And six-times as many crashes occurred in large cities, primarily Chicago, than occurred in more rural areas of Illinois.Your chances of an accident increase daily between Sunday and Friday.
Between 4 and 8 p.m., 76,134 crashes occurred. Noon to 4 p.m. witnessed 72,136 followed by 8 a.m. to noon, when 53,022 crashes occurred.
Sunday
Rural: 6,872 Urban: 26,346
Monday
Rural: 6,376 Urban: 32,222 Tuesday
Rural: 6,713 Urban: 35,204
Wednesday
Rural: 6,738 Urban: 36,764 Thursday
Rural: 6,764 Urban: 37,300
Friday
Rural: 7,530 Urban: 41,348
Saturday
Rural: 7,924 Urban: 34,005
While urban crashes far outnumbered rural crashes, rural crashes were much more likely to be fatal. A total of 363 traffic fatalities occurred in 48,917 rural crashes, compared to 469 fatalities in 243,189 crashes in urban areas. That means, while rural crashes accounted for just under 17 percent of the state’s traffic accidents, they resulted in nearly half (43.6 percent) of all traffic fatalities.
As for urban crashes, if you think you are most likely to die on the freeway, you would be wrong.
Urban Accidents
State Highway: 150 deaths/ 16,614 injured
Interstate: 79 deaths/ 4,159 injured
City Streets: 166 deaths/ 23,063 injuries
Unmarked Routes: 74 deaths/ 8,566 injuries
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, contact a Chicago personal injury lawyer at Abels & Annes for a free consultation to discuss your rights. Call (866) 99-ABELS. There is no fee unless we recover for you.