Hyderabad: The maximum number of accidents occur during the rush hour of 6 pm to 9 pm as most people rush home from work and others set out for shopping or to run errands, according to a statistical report published by the Cyberabad police.
Officials said speeding, reckless driving and drunk driving were the prime causes of accidents.
A traffic police official said most drivers are tired and tend to drive fast while trying to reach home quickly. “It could be a psychological phenomenon since motorists drive fast to reach home after work. Also, the traffic flow would also be high on both directions of the road,” the official said.
“That window of time is when the city witnesses traffic congestion as well,” the official said. Another factor could be the difference in the lighting as night falls, and the glare from the headlamps of oncoming vehicles could be another reason for accidents in the evening. “Drivers might not be able to see properly due to the lighting glare differentiation," the official said.
According to Dr S. Chandana, sleep disorder expert, drivers who get get only five hours a day are 15 times more likely to cause road accidents than those with a healthy sleep pattern. “After a hectic day at work, people feel drowsy and tired. The accident risk is two to six times higher for those suffering from sleep apnea than it is for regular drivers,” Dr Chandana said.
A sleep study evaluation is recommended for people, who are obese, hypertensive, diabetic and especially pilots, drivers and engineers involved in heavy machinery, Dr Chandana said.
Accident data in 2020, broken up by the time of the day
- 6 am-9 am: 71
- 9 am-12 noon: 74
- 12 noon-3 pm: 72
- 3 pm-6 pm: 71
- 6 pm-9 pm: 151
- 9 pm-Midnight: 102
- Midnight-3 am: 43
- 3 am-6 am: 41
