Pre-pandemic traffic is returning, but looks a lot different
According a new report from CCC, traffic is building later in the day than before the pandemic and is rebounding faster during non-peak hours.
Traffic congestion is bouncing back from COVID lockdowns, but it looks a lot different than it did pre-pandemic, says the recently released CCC 2023 Crash Course report. Vehicle miles traveled metro-wide across the 10 most populated cities in the U.S. are 4% above pre-pandemic levels, but the time of day in which traffic congestion and crashes are occurring has changed — and so have auto claims.
According to CCC’s report, traffic is building later in the day than before the pandemic and is rebounding faster during non-peak hours. This change in driving patterns has been greatly influenced by the number of people who have transitioned to remote work and no participate in the typical rush hour commute. Naturally, a shift in the times when people are on the road has led to a shift in when vehicle crashes are happening. The report states “as traffic volume builds in non-peak hours, there has been a decrease in the overall share of motor vehicle crashes that occur during typical morning and afternoon rush hours.”
Americans are also buying heavier, more powerful vehicles, which has had an effect on the severity of crashes. The report cites information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which states the average weight of passenger vehicles in the U.S. has risen from 3,200 pounds for a model year 1981 vehicle to almost 4,300 pounds for a model year 2021 vehicle. American consumers have shown a preference for large SUVs and pickup trucks, which both increased in weight by 7% and 32% respectfully from 1990 to 2021.
The average horsepower (hp) for pickups increased nearly 140% from model year 1975 to model year 2021, and the average vehicle overall saw its hp jump 85% in that time. As you can imagine, heavier vehicles with more power have the potential to cause a lot more damage than their lighter, less powerful road mates, leading to higher impact severity and more serious damage to both people and property when a crash occurs.
As if that isn’t enough to raise insurers’ hackles about increased auto risk, Americans are driving faster and becoming more distracted while on the road. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the worst offenders of distracted driving are those under age 50, but no age group or demographic abstains from these habits. Overall, 65% of participants in the IIHS survey admitted to engaging in distracted driving in the last 30 days.
According to information from AAA, between 2020 to 2021 there was an increase in drivers who admitted they had participated in the following dangerous driving behaviors:
- Driving when they have had enough alcohol that they thought they were over the legal limit (+23.7%)
- Driving within an hour of consuming cannabis (+13.6%)
- Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on the freeway (+12.4%)
- Driving through a red light (+10.1%)
- Driving when they were so tired it was hard to keep their eyes open(+8.7%)
Vehicle complexity has increased along with size and power, and the higher-tech vehicles of today can be a lot more expensive to repair due to the rising cost of parts and materials, as well as the higher price of specialized labor.