When people think about the most dangerous season of the year for driving, winter usually comes to mind. What can be more harrowing than driving your commercial or owner operator truck on icy or snowy roads in a snowstorm? Interestingly, statistics defy this common sense notion and indicate that summer is the worst season because it has the greatest number of accident fatalities. Below are four reasons for this:
Speeds Are Faster in the Summer and Drivers Let Their Guard Down
The optimal traction of dry pavement encourages faster driving and causes drivers of both cars and semi trucks to let their guard down. This sloppier driving increases the risk of accidents while the increased speed increases the likelihood of fatalities. Although slippery winter roads increase the chances of an accident, drivers are also more careful and drive more slowly. These slower speeds reduce the fatality risk of winter accidents.
The Roads Are Congested
More people use the roads in the summer. Most people take their vacations this time of year and often drive to their destinations. This increases traffic density and the incidence of road rage. More teen drivers also take to the road in the summer months. Teens have little driving experience and are the demographic with the highest accident rate. Finally, motorcyclists add their numbers to the highways and roads.
Summer Is Tire Blowout Season
Drivers with worn, weakened, or otherwise marginal tires frequently have tire blowouts in hot weather. During heat waves, asphalt pavement gets extremely hot. This increased temperature combined with the normal heat generation of rolling tires, prove too much for old and poorly maintained tires.
More Construction
The construction area itself is often the scene of accidents because of the activity of machinery and construction workers. The roads through these areas are often narrow and can have rough road surfaces. Accidents also happen because approaches to construction areas have lane mergers and require the traffic to quickly reduce its speed.
While all these factors are primarily associated with automobiles, the commercial or owner operator trucker must drive among these motorists and can become an accident victim as a result. Exercise caution this summer and make sure your rig has enough insurance coverage. If you have questions about commercial or owner operator truck insurance in Nebraska, don’t hesitate to contact us.
