Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen?

People who live and work in Massachusetts have to contend with the state’s congested highways and busy streets in population centers such as Boston, Worcester, and Springfield. When dealing with heavy traffic, you might worry about the potential of being involved in a car accident and think that your chances of having a collision are highest when driving on busy roads. In actuality, where do most car accidents happen?

Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen?

Rural vs. Urban Locations

Where do most car accidents happen? Many people think that car accidents most commonly occur in urban areas because of traffic congestion. However, a car accident can happen at any time and in any place in the state. You should always be vigilant whenever you are behind the wheel and exercise defensive driving when necessary.

According to a comparison study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2013, more fatal accidents happened in rural areas than urban locations. That difference flipped over time, however.

In 2020, the NHTSA found that 56 percent of all traffic fatalities occurred in urban areas instead of rural locations. The locations also vary widely by state. According to the NHTSA’s 2020 report, 92 percent of fatal accidents in Massachusetts in 2020 happened in urban settings while only 8 percent happened on the state’s rural roads. By contrast, only 22 percent of the fatal crashes that happened in Idaho happened in urban areas. Instead, that state experienced far more fatal collisions in rural areas.

This difference between states like Massachusetts and those such as Idaho can be explained by looking at population patterns. The majority of people in Massachusetts are densely concentrated around the Boston metropolitan area. By contrast, Idaho has far fewer cities and urban areas, so people in that state spend more time driving on rural roads. This means that the difference between states can be explained by looking at where people drive the most often.

Where Do Most Car Accidents Happen in Massachusetts?

Between 2018 and 2020, 986 fatal accidents happened in Massachusetts. MoneyGeek analyzed the fatal accidents and looked at them by location. They identified specific areas in the state that had the highest number of fatal accidents to find the most dangerous roads to drive on in the state. According to the study, the following stretches of roads are the 10 most dangerous in Massachusetts in terms of the number of fatal accidents:

• I-95 N. through Norwood, Walpole, and Sharon from S. Main Street to Exit 21 – Deadliest road
• Main Street through Brockton and Easton, running from Perkins Road to Stonehouse Hill Road
• I-93 N. in Andover between Exits 39 and 42
• I-495 N. in Middleboro between Exits 14 and 15
• I-93 N. in Boston between Exits 11B and 13B
• I-93 N. through Wilmington and Stoneham between Exits 28A and 31
• I-195 E. through the Town of Rehoboth and Swansea between Exits 1 and 5
• I-495 S. through Bolton, Harvard Station, and Harvard between Stow Road and Exit 70
• I-95 N. through North Attleboro, Mansfield, and Attleboro between Exits 7 and 12A
• I-95 S. in Attleboro between Exits 1 and 2B

Kelly Square is also notorious for car accidents.

The researchers found that drunk driving accounted for 30 percent of fatal accidents. They also found that speeding was a contributing factor in 26 percent of these accidents, and distracted driving was a factor in 9 percent.

What to Do

It’s not possible to avoid all areas where accidents might occur when driving in Massachusetts. Instead, you must take steps to mitigate your risk of being involved in a collision. Follow all of the traffic laws, including driving at the posted speed limits, keeping your attention focused on the road, and obeying traffic control devices. Never drive while impaired by alcohol or drugs. If you are involved in a collision, call 911 to report it, wait for help to arrive, and move your vehicle out of the flow of traffic to the nearest safe location. Make sure to see your doctor immediately, and contact an attorney at Ellis & Associates.

Talk to an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer

If you suffered serious injuries in a Massachusetts auto accident because of the negligence of another driver, you should speak to the legal team at Ellis & Associates. We can critically review the evidence and explain your next steps. For a free consultation, call 800-MR-ELLIS or send us a message online.