Millions of Brits are expected to hit the roads this Bank Holiday weekend
Most drivers assume the roads are at their most dangerous during rush hour, when traffic is heavy and congestion is at its worst. But with millions of Britons expected to travel this Bank Holiday weekend, new research suggests the biggest danger may come when the roads appear at their quietest.
New analysis by Confused.com appears to show the single riskiest hour to drive in the UK, with motorists being urged to avoid this time where possible over the bank holiday weekend. Using Department for Transport traffic flow and collision data, Confused.com created an interactive Safety Index to calculate the likelihood of being involved in an accident relative to the number of vehicles on the road.
Rhydian Jones, Confused.com car insurance expert, reveals why the quietest roads can often be the most dangerous, uncovers the riskiest and safest times to drive in the UK, and shares how motorists can use Confused.com’s new Safety Index tool to plan safer journeys during the bank holiday getaway. Whether you are setting off for a long weekend break, visiting family or driving home after a day out, knowing when collision risk is highest could help you avoid the most dangerous times to be on the road.
Why Quiet Roads Can Be More Dangerous It seems counterintuitive. Fewer cars should mean fewer accidents. But experts say quieter roads often encourage riskier driving behaviours. Almost 1 in 3 drivers admit they exceed the speed limit at least occasionally, while more than 1 in 4 say they are more likely to speed when roads are quieter.
Add in reduced visibility, tiredness and the increased likelihood of encountering drink-drivers, and the danger rises sharply.
“Road safety relies on more than just how many cars are on the road. It depends on how conditions evolve through the day, and our analysis makes that pattern unmistakably clear. The late afternoon sees the highest number of collisions because the roads are busy. But when we look at the risk per vehicle, it’s the late-night and early-morning hours that are proportionately the most dangerous.
That’s when visibility drops, fatigue sets in and roads are quiet enough that drivers may take more risks. We know journeys become longer, traffic becomes heavier, and weather conditions get tougher. Our research shows many drivers already feel nervous, especially at night or in unfamiliar areas, and nearly a third admit to speeding when the roads look quiet.
Our interactive ‘Safety Index’ tool can help drivers make informed decisions about when they travel, reducing risk and helping them stay safer behind the wheel. ” Rhydian Jones, Confused.com car insurance expert. The Most Dangerous Hours to Drive The analysis found that the hours with the highest collision risk relative to traffic volume are: These findings suggest that the greatest danger is not necessarily when roads are busiest, but when drivers are most tired and conditions are less forgiving.
The Safest Times to Drive By contrast, the safest times to drive are generally in the early morning. Weekdays between 5am and 7am were found to carry the lowest risk, with Wednesday 5am to 6am ranking as the safest hour of the entire week. On weekends, the safest time shifts slightly later, with 9am to 10am emerging as the lowest-risk period. Experts believe these times are safer because traffic tends to be more predictable and speeds are generally lower.
Over Half of Drivers Have Witnessed or Experienced a Crash The study also found that road accidents are a common experience for UK motorists. The emotional impact of accidents can have a lasting effect on confidence and driving behaviour.
The Driving Situations That Make People Most Nervous The research revealed that many drivers feel uneasy in certain conditions: The UK Areas with the Most Collisions When looking at total collisions rather than risk per vehicle, the busiest crash period is 5pm to 6pm, coinciding with school pick-ups and the evening commute. During this hour, the councils with the highest number of reported collisions were: Nationally, there were 100,927 injury collisions recorded by police and logged by the Department for Transport over the last year.
Why This Hour Is So Dangerous Several factors combine to make this the most hazardous hour of the week: The result is a period where even a small mistake can have serious consequences. New Safety Index Helps Drivers Plan Safer Journeys To help motorists better understand road risks, Confused.com has launched an interactive Safety Index tool that shows the safest and most dangerous times to drive for each day of the week.
By comparing traffic levels and collision rates, the tool allows drivers to identify lower-risk windows and make more informed decisions about when to travel. For anyone planning bank holiday road trip or late-night journey home, the message is clear: empty roads do not always mean safer roads.
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