Continental Tyres today issued a warning to motorists that 4-5pm on a Friday afternoon is the most common time for car accidents to occur and in November – when it’s dark, cold and often wet at this time - the risk increases further.

In 2005, there were 2,454 [1] accidents on UK roads between 4-5pm on a Friday – that’s 35% more than occurred from 8-9am and nearly 50% more than occurred from 9-10am on Friday mornings.
This risk is even greater now we’re into November - the most common month of the year for car crashes, with nearly 10% more accidents occurring than October. With temperatures averaging just 6 degrees Celsius this November and with the sun setting before 4.30pm, motorists are advised to take extra care. In total, there are nearly 6,500 more accidents involving cars on the UK’s roads in winter compared to summer.

Heavy traffic, poor weather conditions and drivers being tired at the end of the week are factors that will contribute to the sharp increase in accidents on Fridays in November. And whilst drivers can improve their chances on the road by adjusting their driving to suit the winter conditions, they should think about their tyres’ performance when the temperature drops below 7°C this month. This is when the compound used in normal car tyres starts to harden, causing the tyres to lose grip on the road.
To ensure safety throughout the winter months, Continental Tyres is encouraging motorists to consider fitting cold weather tyres. Cold weather tyres are designed for use at lower temperatures with more rubber in the compound to prevent hardening and a specific tread pattern to cope with the cold winter roads.

In conditions below 7°C, they ensure considerably shorter stopping distances on both wet and dry roads. On ice, a car fitted with cold weather tyres will stop 11 metres shorter than on conventional tyres, 8 metres shorter in snow, and 5 metres shorter on cold, wet roads. This could be the difference between being safe or a statistic this winter.

Tracey Hyem, brand manager at Continental said “Driving in winter provides different challenges for motorists and even if there isn’t snow and ice on the roads, drivers still need to think about driving carefully. Fitting cold weather tyres is one way to help ensure a safer driving experience and hopefully reduce the number of accidents that take place.”

And when the weekend starts, careful driving shouldn’t stop - midday on a Saturday is the time you are most likely to have a car crash at the weekend. One-third more accidents occur at this time, compared to the same time on a Sunday.