True or false: You're more likely to be involved in a car accident in the winter when roads are slick and the driving is tricky? False. According to more than 15 years' worth of information from Canada's National Collision Database, collisions happen most often in August, followed by July and then December.
Surprised? So were we, and you'll likely continue to be surprised when you learn more about when collisions traditionally happen and under what conditions.
Canadian car accident statistics
Take the test. When do you think collisions are most likely to happen on Canadian roads?
- Mondays versus Fridays?
Fridays. The most accident-prone day of the week is Friday followed by Thursday. Hands down, the day most likely to be collision-free is Sunday. - Rush hour versus any other time of the day?
This one likely comes as no surprise. The peak time of day for collisions is between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Interestingly though, the morning rush hour (from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.) isn't the second most common time of day for a collision; that's from noon until 3 p.m. - Clear and sunny or when it's raining?
Overwhelmingly, most collisions in Canada happen on clear and sunny days, followed by overcast days and then rainy days. - Dry, wet, or icy roads?
Since most accidents happen when it's clear and sunny, this one should be easy. More accidents happen when roads are normal and dry, followed by wet roads; icy roads came in third. - Driving solo or with passengers?
The vast majority of accidents occur when alone.
Car accidents and your car insurance
How a car accident affects your insurance will depend on whether you were at fault for the collision (even partially) or not at fault.
An at-fault accident can be costly, which is why when behind the wheel we need to nip bad driving habits in the bud and drive with care no matter what time of day or the weather. To get a feel for how much an at-fault collision could affect your insurance rate we compared quotes for a 35-year-old driver of a 2015 Honda Civic (Canada's best-selling car) in Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal with a clean driving record. We then layered in an at-fault collision so you could see how much your insurance rates could possibly increase.
| City | Clean driving record | 1 at-fault accident |
| Calgary | $1,203 | $1,839 |
| Toronto | $1,612 | $2,344 |
| Montreal | $585 | $698 |
Accidentally speaking, there's no reason to overpay for car insurance
Even good drivers can have a bad day behind the wheel. If you're ever involved in a collision, you'll likely have concerns about how it will affect your car insurance rate. However, some insurance companies are more forgiving than others which is why it's essential to compare the rate your current insurer offers you to the best rates available through Kanetix.ca. We search for your lowest rates from more than 50 insurance providers so you can be confident knowing that you're getting the best deal on your car insurance coverage.
There are lots of interesting tidbits to be found at Canada's National Collision Database.
