- Allianz says it receives the highest volume of accident claims at this time
Drivers, particularly parents, are being warned to be extra vigilant during a particular part of the day after insurance claims data showed a spike in crashes occurring at this time.
Insurer Allianz says last year it received the highest volume of claims for motor collisions during the weekday at this specific time – and it isn’t the typical rush hours of around 8am and 6pm.
Instead, the period in which motorists are most at risk is around 3pm in the afternoon – the peak time when people are picking up their kids from school.
Allianz says the time of day when most accidents occur is 3pm, suggesting accidents are more likely as parents rush to collect their children from school
The provider said it received more than 10,300 claims in 2023 for car accidents during this school rush hour – the highest peak in the day – dubbing it ‘crash hour’.
In contrast, less than half the number of claims (4,500) occurred at 6.30pm and around 1,600 claims happened at 8.30pm.
The figures indicate accidents are more common during the afternoon rush hour with busy roads, parents in a hurry, children in the car causing distraction and a surge of pedestrians all potential reasons for the increase in incidents as well as total claims pay outs.
Allianz said 3pm crashes last year cost it £51million, an increase of £7million compared to 2022.
However, with the cost of repairs and parts increasing recently, the insurer says claims for accidents that happened at 6.30pm also rose year-on-year by £8million to a total of £27million in 2023.
Despite the afternoon rush hour being an accident hot spot, the morning rush hour tells a different story.
Only half (5,482) as many accidents occurred at 8am compared to 3pm.
While providing no evidential background, Allianz believes this could be a result of ‘increased levels of alertness first thing in the morning’ compared to later on in the day.
The average cost of an accidental damage claim was around £6,200 last year during this time, with 3pm claims costing around £5,300.
Caroline Johnson, claims director at Allianz personal lines business said: ‘Our data has highlighted interesting patterns in the frequency and severity of claims, and mid-late afternoons on the road seem to be a real hot spot for minor accidents.
‘There can be a number of additional distractions at this time, from increased numbers of pedestrians and cyclists, to having excitable children in the car, and even just that determination to get home quickly after work.’
