The last total eclipse coincided with a big increase in car crashes

A 31% increase in fatal accidents was seen during the days surrounding the 2017 total eclipse event, according to a study from the Sunnybrook Research Institute and the universities of British Columbia and Toronto.

“We found a significant increase in traffic risk in the U.S. around the time of the total eclipse, averaging to one extra vehicle crash every 25 minutes and one extra crash fatality every 95 minutes. The total amounted to 46 extra deaths linked to the eclipse,” Donald Redelmeier, a senior scientist in the Tory Trauma Research Program at Sunnybrook Research Institute, said in a release.

The increase in fatal accidents was attributed to more motorists being on the road, drivers taking unfamiliar routes, speeding, impaired driving and people pulling over in unsafe roadside locations to watch the event, according to the researchers.

Redelmeier noted the increase in roadway deaths is similar to the increase seen during Thanksgiving, which is traditionally the deadliest holiday for roadway travel.

The researchers used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a U.S. Navy calculator to determine crash time relative to the moment of “maximal eclipse based on location latitude and longitude.”

“A total of 1,878 individuals were involved, of whom 741 were in fatal crashes over the three-day eclipse exposure interval (10.3 per hour). Over the six control days, 1137 were in fatal crashes (7.9 per hour),” the study authors wrote.

A celestial distraction

While interior things such as cellphones and vehicle infotainment centers are often the causes of distracted driving, Travelers Insurance automotive risk expert Chris Hayes said distractions exist outside of the vehicle as well.

“So a billboard, something happening on the side of the road or something as simple as the moon passing in front of the sun, blocking out all of the light, are things people might want to look out their window and observe,” Hayes, who serves as assistant vice president, transportation, risk control, said.

He said the biggest risk on the road during the eclipse will be other drivers. As such, the best safety advice is to plan to stay off the road during the event if possible.

“If the nature of your work means that you’re going to be on the road, make sure as you start noticing the eclipse to keep your attention as focused on the vehicles around you as possible,” Hayes cautioned.

Those who must be on the road during the event should also fight the urge to record or take photos of the eclipse. Instead, they should find a safe location, like a parking lot, to record from.

“You’ll have to assume that just as we find during almost any commute, there are a few drivers that really aren’t paying attention,” he said. “You’ll probably find that a little bit more during the eclipse.”

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