Risky driving behaviors are especially common among truck drivers who lack proper supervision or access to advanced safety technologies.
That’s what a new report reveals after analyzing over 300 billion miles driven—it shows that collisions in the U.S. have been increasing since 2023, reversing the downward trend observed during the pandemic.
Collisions Are Increasing—But They’re Less Severe
From 2023 to 2024, the number of collisions rose by 24% when comparing a consistent pool of vehicles. However, the severity of these accidents has decreased:
- Severe collisions dropped by 6%.
- Moderate collisions fell by 59%.
According to data from Lytx, this reduction in severity is largely attributed to better driver monitoring and the use of driver-assistance technologies deployed by professional fleets.
Top 10 Most Dangerous Driving Behaviors
The following behaviors are most commonly observed among drivers involved in high-risk events:
- Following too closely (1–2 seconds) — This distance may seem safe but often isn’t enough time to react, especially at highway speeds.
- Using a phone while driving — Texting, calling, or interacting with devices significantly increases accident risk.
- Not wearing a seatbelt — Despite years of awareness campaigns, this basic safety measure is still frequently ignored.
- Speeding — Excessive speed remains one of the top causes of serious crashes.
- Tailgating dangerously (less than 1 second) — Even riskier than the previous category, though slightly less common.
- Rolling through stop signs — Failing to come to a complete stop is widespread and often underestimated.
- Eating or drinking while driving — Even seemingly minor distractions like sipping coffee can impact reaction time.
- Driving unbelted in traffic — This behavior is specifically tracked while the vehicle is in motion.
- Running red lights or stop signs — More serious than rolling stops, this refers to drivers who completely ignore the signal.
- Distraction — This includes daydreaming, looking away from the road, or handling objects unrelated to driving.
More Traffic, More Close Calls
In 2024, heavier road congestion led to a 52% increase in near-miss incidents compared to the previous year. Additionally, the number of drivers following too closely jumped by 19%.
Weather Worsens the Odds
Driving too fast for weather conditions—whether in rain, snow, or ice—quadruples the risk of a serious accident. Fog is especially dangerous, increasing risk by 2.8 times. Overall, winter driving is twice as risky as in other seasons.
When It’s Riskiest to Drive
- Tuesday is the most accident-prone day of the week.
- Sunday is statistically the safest.
- 2:00 p.m. marks the peak hour for collisions.
- On average, collisions rise by 12% during major holidays compared to similar non-holiday days.
Positive Signs: Safer Habits Emerging
Despite the uptick in collisions, a few encouraging trends have emerged:
- Speeding time has decreased by 8.7%.
- Phone use while driving is down by 9%.
- More drivers are buckling up consistently.
As traffic grows heavier and driving risks evolve, especially during winter and high-traffic periods, monitoring and addressing risky behaviors becomes a critical priority for fleet managers and professional drivers alike.
Read More :
Ontario Truck Driver Pleads Guilty Following Fatal Collision in Saint-Philippe-de-Néri
