The Latest Crash Data For Lewiston-Auburn
Each year, thousands of Maine residents are involved in car accidents across the state. Unfortunately, many of the victims of these crashes often suffer from debilitating, long-term injuries or fatalities as a result, and without proper legal assistance, many do not recover the compensation they need from the drivers responsible.
Using the latest data from the Maine Department of Transportation, we have analyzed a number of car accident reports to compile a statistical breakdown of car accidents in Lewiston-Auburn in 2018.
What Is The Worst Month For Car Accidents?
January and the other winter months usually yield higher rates of car accidents when compared to warmer months. Inclement weather, bad road conditions and shorter days may be contributing factors to why the winter months see such a dramatic increase in car accidents in the Lewiston-Auburn area.
What Is The Worst Day For Car Accidents?
Tuesdays and Fridays were by far the worst days for car accidents in the Lewiston-Auburn area. This is perhaps due to mid work-week fatigue or instances of drivers operating vehicles while under the influence. Drive sober, be alert and limit distractions while behind the wheel in order to reduce the risk of accident on days where accident rates are higher.
What Is The Worst Time Of Day For Car Accidents?
6AM-7AM, 10AM-1PM and 3PM-4PM were the times of day during which car accident rates increased and/or reached a high, according to our analysis. These are the times of day where more drivers are out on the road, traffic may be heavier due to rush hour and there may be more distractions (such as children running into the road) that can spell disaster for even the most cautious of drivers.
If you must drive during periods of heavy traffic and/or pedestrian presence, it is critical to always be aware of your surroundings. Even the slightest lapse of attention can have terrible results.
What Is The Most Common Type Of Crash?
The most common type of car accident is a rear end/sideswipe crash. Considering that the next most common type of crash involves intersection movement, it appears that drivers must exercise more caution when moving into/out of lanes and intersections in order to best reduce the risk of collision.
Always be aware of your surroundings when driving through an intersection or changing lanes. Checking your blindspot can be the difference between an uneventful drive and a bad collision.
Crashes By Weather Condition
Surprisingly, most of the data we gathered indicates that the vast majority of car accidents take place during clear weather conditions. Weather should not be underestimated as a contributing factor to car accidents, however; nearly 16 percent of all annual car accident fatalities are weather-related.
Rain, snow and ice can create dangerous road conditions that can make driving incredibly hazardous. To minimize the risk of injury when driving during inclement weather, we recommend driving slowly, increasing your following distance and ensuring your brakes are always in good condition before hitting the road during periods of bad weather.
What Types Of Roads Do Crashes Occur On More Commonly?
The overwhelming majority of car accidents appear to have taken place on roads with a posted speed limit of 25 miles per hour, indicating that these accidents mostly took place on ordinary (or otherwise residential) roads. Residential roads can see just as many hazards as the freeway, including the presence of pedestrians, young children and animals. In addition, narrower roadways may create a bottleneck effect and can result in additional traffic.
Remember that just because the overall speed limit is lower does not mean that the risk of accident is reduced. Always be alert while driving through a residential area, and be ready to brake or react at a moment’s notice.
What Age Group Is More Likely To Be Involved In An Accident?
Perhaps due to driver inexperience or a proclivity to engage in risky behavior, drivers aged 25-29, 30-34 and 35-39 were found to be the most involved in car accidents in the Lewiston-Auburn area. Many of the accidents we analyzed involved either young drivers (25-39) or older drivers (50-64), when age-related issues such as declining reaction time and eyesight/hearing issues become contributing factors to the prevalence of car accidents.
No matter how old you are when getting behind the wheel, you should always know the limits of both your car and yourself. Never engage in risky (and potentially illegal) activity while operating a vehicle, and limit distractions to very young or old drivers if you are a passenger in their vehicles.
What Type Of Actions Contributed To Accidents?
In nearly half of the accidents we analyzed, there was no contributing action found to have caused or otherwise influenced the occurrence of a car accident. In the remaining 888 accidents, there was some form of action that contributed to a car accident (such as a failure to yield right-of-way or following a car too closely).
Drivers should familiarize themselves with Maine’s right-of-way laws in order to reduce the risk of accident. Remember to always signal when making any kind of turn or lane change, and always leave an appropriate amount of space between yourself and the drivers around you.
Driver Condition At The Time Of The Accident
The vast majority of accidents happened to normal, everyday people. While this is comforting to know that there are not many intoxicated drivers getting into accidents in the Lewiston-Auburn area, our research indicates that a necessity for safer driving practices and better driver’s education still exists.
Drivers should always be prepared for the worst while operating a vehicle. An accident can happen at any time, and having a plan of action for when an accident does occur will make the experience much less chaotic for all those involved.
How Many Drivers Were Distracted At The Time Of The Accident?
Over 1200 car accidents occurred during periods of time in which the driver was not distracted whatsoever. In another 359 accidents, it was unknown if the driver was distracted or not at the time that the accident occurred.
Distracted driving claims thousands of lives every year, making it a growing concern as more young drivers acquire their licenses and begin driving in a world defined by smartphones and internet culture. Limit your time spent on your phone while driving by making any important calls (or sending any texts) before or after driving.
What Types Of Cars Are Most Commonly Involved In Accidents?
Nearly all of the car accidents observed in 2018 in the Lewiston-Auburn area involved a passenger car, a utility vehicle or a pickup truck, perhaps indicating that the majority of these accidents occurred in or around residential areas where less commercial vehicles would be found.
Breakdown of Accident Injuries
Fortunately, in the vast majority of car accidents in the Lewiston-Auburn area in 2018, no apparent injury was sustained. This does not mean, however, that the majority of car accidents will end the same way; in fact, this is quite far from the truth. A severe car accident can result in injuries such as whiplash,traumatic brain injury and even death.
Something as simple as wearing a seatbelt can help keep yourself and your passengers safe on the road and reduce the risk of injury substantially. By buckling up and keeping an eye on the road, we can continue to keep a low rate of injury in car accidents for years to come.
Interactive Accident Map- Lewiston and Auburn
Unlike the data on the rest of the page, the map data is based on 2015 numbers. Below is a map of all the crashes to occur in Lewiston and Auburn in 2015. Zoom in to see the reported accidents on your street. You can even click the circles to see more details of the accident.
Most Dangerous Intersections in Auburn
Most Dangerous Intersections in Lewiston
Lewiston, Maine Accident Lawyers
The attorneys at Fales & Fales, P.A. have 55 years of combined experience representing car accident victims and their families in Maine. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients, including seven-figure settlements in auto accident cases involving serious injuries and wrongful death. Our firm has been located in downtown Lewiston since 1891. To find out if you may be entitled to financial compensation, you can call us at (888) 526-9408 or request a free case review online today.
