You probably spend time in a vehicle most Friday and Saturday nights if you work in the music industry. Yet the two biggest nights of the week for music are also the most dangerous to be on the road.
A previous National Safety Council (NSC) report looked at what day of the week and time of day fatal crashes occurred. It separated the week into four-hour time windows. The most dangerous ones were:
- Saturdays from 8 p.m. to midnight
- Fridays from 8 p.m. to midnight
- Saturdays at midnight until 4 a.m. on Sundays
The figures are no surprise if you think about what people do on a weekend night out.
Partying and driving do not go well together
Bars and clubs open late on the weekend, so someone who is usually in bed by 11 p.m. during the week might not be driving home until 3 a.m. on the weekend. They will therefore be tired and less alert.
Cars are often full of friends in a party mood who can distract the driver. Many will turn the music up loud, which makes hearing other vehicles more challenging. It is also dark when people go home from a night out, making driving more difficult. Finally, many people drink or take drugs when going out, even if they are driving.
If someone crashes into you and injures you on the weekend, it is important to find out how they spent their night. If they were out partying hard, they may still have alcohol in their system the next day or suffer from fatigue. While everyone has the right to go out and party, they are also responsible for ensuring that they are fit to drive.