- Allianz says it is receiving the highest volume of accident claims at the moment
Drivers, especially parents, are being warned to be extra vigilant during a particular part of the day after insurance claims data showed a rise in accidents occurring at that time.
Insurer Allianz says it received the highest volume of claims for car collisions last year during business days during these specific hours, and they are not the typical peak hours of around 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Instead, the period when drivers are most at risk is around 3 p.m., the peak time when people pick up their children from school.
Allianz says the time of day when most accidents occur is at 3pm, suggesting that accidents are more likely when parents are rushing to pick up their children from school.
The carrier said it received more than 10,300 claims in 2023 for car accidents during this school rush hour, the highest peak of the day, calling it “crash hour.”
In contrast, less than half of the number of complaints (4,500) occurred at 6:30 p.m. and around 1,600 complaints occurred at 8:30 p.m.
Figures indicate that accidents are most common during evening rush hour, when roads are busy, parents are in a hurry, children in cars cause distractions and there are large numbers of pedestrians – all possible reasons for the increase in incidents as well as overall claim payouts.
Allianz said last year’s 3pm crashes cost it £51m, an increase of £7m compared with 2022.
However, due to the recent increase in the cost of repairs and parts, the insurer says claims for Accidents occurring at 6.30pm also increased year-on-year by £8m to a total of £27m in 2023.
Although the evening rush hour is a hotspot for accidents, the morning rush hour tells a different story.
Only half (5,482) of the accidents occurred at 8 a.m. compared to 3 p.m.
While it does not provide supporting evidence, Allianz believes this could be a result of “higher levels of alertness early in the morning” compared to later in the day.
The average cost of an accidental damage claim was around £6,200 last year during this time, with claims at 3pm costing around £5,300.
Caroline Johnson, Allianz’s personal lines claims director, said: ‘Our data has highlighted interesting patterns in the frequency and severity of claims, with evening hours on the road appearing to be a real hotspot for minor accidents.
‘There can be a number of additional distractions right now, from increased numbers of pedestrians and cyclists to having nervous children in the car, and even just that determination to get home quickly after work.’