When Accidents Happen: Fall Is Most Dangerous Season for Car Accidents in the U.S.
Editor’s note: Carfax has more accident and damage data than anyone else, and from that data, we’ve created this Accident & Damage Report, based on U.S. incidents reported to Carfax. We’ll occasionally update the report with new findings, so check back.
Despite what most drivers might think, Fall is the most dangerous season for vehicle accidents in most U.S. states, according to CARFAX data. Many may assume Winter would bring the most crashes, but the CARFAX analysis found that in 39 states, Fall accounted for the highest percentage of accidents compared to all other seasons.
States that saw the most crashes in the Fall include California, Texas, New York, Illinois, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Wisconsin.
“Seasonal shifts can bring new risks on the road, making this a good time to slow down, stay alert, and check for maintenance or open recalls to ensure the safety of the vehicle and everyone on the road,” said Faisal Hasan, Vice President of Data Acquisition at CARFAX. “CARFAX has the most accident, damage, and service information that no one else has, offering these insights to keep drivers informed and one step ahead.”
Consumers can get timely reminders through the CARFAX Car Care App, which alerts drivers to upcoming service and recalls, and locates trusted local repair shops.
Why does Fall have so many accidents? Experts call out these reasons:
Diminishing Daylight: Fall means shorter days and more time driving in the dark. Drivers are twice as likely to have an accident in the dark as they are in daylight. About half of all U.S. accidents happen in the dark, despite fewer drivers out after dusk, according to the National Safety Council. Less visibility also means slower reaction time.
Slick Surfaces: Tree debris and wet leaves on the roadway can pose a major risk. Braking on wet leaves can make a car travel more than twice as far as braking on a dry road, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Deer Danger: More deer crashes occur in the last few months of the year, due to mating season and migration, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute.
Keep in mind, Winter is still hazardous, marking the season with the highest number of accidents in six states: Connecticut, Oklahoma, Vermont, New Hampshire, Montana, and North Dakota.
Drivers can prepare themselves by taking these steps:
Slow Down: Speed is a significant key factor in car accidents.
Pack a Winter Survival Kit: Be ready if you wind up stranded. A kit should have water, a blanket, an ice scraper, durable food items, road flares, a phone charger, a flashlight, and first-aid supplies. Keep this kit in the car year-round.
Watch Your Car's Maintenance:
Check Tire Pressure: Sudden temperature drops make tires lose air quickly. Check your tires monthly.
Add Winter Tires: Cold weather can harden the rubber on conventional or summer tires, hurting traction.
Check the Car Battery: Cold weather reduces a battery's power, and it could fail.
Check Wiper Fluid Level: Slush from the road can be kicked up onto your windshield, making it hard to see. Carry an extra gallon in cold-weather months.
Check Wiper Blades: If the rubber has cracked or if there is debris under your blades, your wipers may leave streaks. Clear out the leaves and wipe down the blades with cleaning solution. If that doesn't work, install new blades.
When Accidents Happen: The Most Dangerous Day of the Week for Crashes? Take Care, it’s Friday
According to Carfax data, Fridays are the most common day for accidents nationwide. It’s clear that incidents happen every day of the week, but the largest share happens on Fridays in 42 U.S. states.
“Drivers need to stay vigilant anytime they’re on the road,” said Chief John Fisher of the Bedford, Mass., Police Department. “Law enforcement responds to hundreds of thousands of crashes on Fridays, often due to heavy traffic, fatigue, and distracted or impaired driving. These incidents can cause major delays, damage, and serious injuries. While Saturdays see more fatalities, according to NHTSA (the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), the sheer volume of Friday accidents makes it one of the most dangerous days to drive.”
The states with a different day to watch out for? Colorado, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Utah and Vermont. For those states, the worst accident day is Tuesday. For Montana, it’s Wednesday.
Conversely, the day of the week with the fewest crashes is almost universally Sunday. That’s not surprising, since it’s a day when most folks are off work and the number of miles driven is lower. That’s true for 46 U.S. states. For Montana and Alaska, it’s Saturday with the fewest reported accidents.
What Types of Accidents: Most Common Situations
While there were millions of accidents reported to Carfax in 2024, not all came with a description of what exactly happened to cause the reported damage. But in the cases where what happened was reported to us, some causes are more common than others:
Rear-end collision: 60.7%
Side-swipe collision: 30.9%
Single vehicle collision: 5.4%
Side-impact collision: 1.8%
Front-end collision: 1.2%
What Types of Accidents: What Drivers Hit
There were millions of accidents whose data was shared with Carfax in 2024. Besides hitting other moving vehicles, or not having a report of what was hit, some categories stood out among the 36 possibilities.
To be fair, some of these categories can be seen as very similar and may depend on what the local terms are for them; for example, there are separate categories for ditch and culvert, even though many drivers might think those are awfully similar.
Topping the chart are animal collisions, which experts say happen more often during autumn due to the deer and wildlife mating season. Among the more unusual categories were Buildings, Moveable Object (which seems very fuzzy — maybe items such as trash cans), Construction Equipment, Hydrant, Train, Debris, and Ledge.
Here’s a chart of the Top 20 things drivers hit:
Where Damage Happens: Most Common Places
In those millions of accidents and damage incidents in 2024, drivers reported that damage often occurred in more than one part of their vehicle. But which areas were damaged the most often?
The front is typically the biggest problem area, with more than 50% of damage occurring there. After that, there’s more damage along the driver's side of the vehicle than there is on the passenger side. And, of course, there’s a significant amount that comes from being rear-ended, a commonplace occurrence on U.S. roads.
Editor’s Note: We should note that, even though Carfax gets millions of records each day, not all accidents are reported to us.
