When Is Driving Most Dangerous in Pittsburgh? Examining Accident Data Over the Years

When is the most dangerous time to hit the roads in Pittsburgh?

If you guessed rush hour, you’re right. Statistically, the most dangerous time to drive in the Pittsburgh region is during rush hour on a Friday in December. That fact comes to use from data accumulated by Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh dating back to 2004. 

We’ve sorted through 15 years of accident data to determine when are the most dangerous and safest times to travel through Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. 

Allegheny County Accident Data By Day of the Week

From 2004 to 2019, drivers in Allegheny County tallied 195,035 accidents. Here’s how those accidents break down by day of the week:

• Sunday: 23,213 total accidents
• Monday: 26,235 total accidents
• Tuesday: 27,721 total accidents
• Wednesday: 28,200 total accidents
• Thursday: 28,698 total accidents
• Friday: 32,507 total accidents
• Saturday: 28,461 total accidents

Between 2004 and 2019, the most dangerous day of the week to drive through the Pittsburgh region was Friday. The safest day to drive is Sunday, which tallied 9,000 fewer accidents than Fridays.

Allegheny County Accident Data By Time of Day

We also analyzed accident data by time of day. According to the data, the top five most dangerous hours to drive in Allegheny County are the following:

1. 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM: 14,438 total accidents
2. 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: 13,898 total accidents
3. 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: 13,364 total accidents
4. 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: 11,256 total accidents
5. 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: 11,143 total accidents

In contrast, the hours when there was the fewest number of accidents recorded were the following times: 

1. 4:00 AM - 5:00 AM: 2,424 total accidents
2. 5:00 AM - 6:00 AM: 3,052 total accidents
3. 3:00 AM - 4:00 AM: 3,582 total accidents
4. 1:00 AM - 2:00 AM: 4,973 total accidents
5. 12:00 AM - 1:00 AM: 5,138 total accidents

Statistically, the safest time to drive in Allegheny County is early in the morning between 4:00 AM and 5:00 AM. The most dangerous time to drive is immediately after the workday between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM. 

Allegheny County Accident Data By Month

The winter months are statistically the most dangerous time to drive in Allegheny County. Between 2004 and 2019, the month of December notched a total of 19,435 accidents, making it the month when you’re most likely to be in an accident. Interestingly, the months immediately following winter are the safest. April recorded the lowest number of accidents in the same time period, recording 14,103 total accidents. 

The following shows how many accidents were recorded during each month between 2004 and 2019: 

• January: 19,155 
• February: 16,337 
• March: 14,987 
• April: 14,103 
• May: 15,874 
• June: 15,407 
• July: 15,066 
• August: 15,307 
• September: 15,129 
• October: 17,541 
• November: 16,694 
• December: 19,435 

With the winter months approaching, now is the time to give your car a tune-up. Make sure you’re not committing any of the most common car maintenance mistakes. 

What to Do If You’re In an Accident

No matter when you drive, there’s always the risk of an accident. Be prepared. Follow the proper steps after a crash and reach out to an attorney you can trust. Contact Dugan & Associates for a free consultation.