Autumn brings many things to mind, from changing leaves to pumpkin spice, but to 39 states around the country, including Virginia and Maryland, it also means car crashes.
Data from CARFAX shows that fall is the most dangerous of the four seasons to drive.
The states with the most crashes in the fall include California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Missouri and Wisconsin.
A lot of people may be surprised that winter is not the most dangerous season. Em Nguyen, the public relations director for Carfax, told WTOP that Maryland and Virginia have the smallest number of crashes during winter.
“It could be fewer cars on the road during the holiday times,” Nguyen said. “It could be that the DMV just has more preparedness for that type of weather.”
So, why would fall be so dangerous for so many people around the country?
Nguyen blamed a lot of the things that are so closely and fondly associated with autumn, like the falling leaves.
“Braking on wet leaves can make a car travel more than twice as far as braking on dry roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” Nguyen said. “So that’s a very big factor.”
Another issue is the shorter daylight hours, which means a lot of people are driving home after dusk when it’s very dark outside.
“It’s a prime time for accidents,” Nguyen said. “The visibility worsens, and so does that reaction time.”
The amount of cars on the roads also pick up during fall thanks to kids being back in school.
Another major issue that helps make fall a dangerous time of the year to be on the roads are frisky animals.
“Fall is the peak mating season for deer and for other wildlife, so there’s a lot more animals on the road, which then greatly increases the number of collisions we see as well,” Nguyen said.
The number one thing everyone can do to be safer on the road, she said, is to slow down.
“Speed is a significant factor in car accidents, especially fatal accidents,” Nguyen said. “Number two, just keep an eye on your car’s maintenance … like oil changes and critical recalls.
Tire pressure, checking car battery, wiper fluid levels and wiper blades also need to be check out, along with getting a winter survival kit to keep inside your car.