America's Most Dangerous Driving Window Starts at 3pm - and Gets Worse an Hour Later

Mercury Insurance's analysis of five years of claims data found crash volume peaks at 3pm, but serious injuries rise later as traffic speeds increase LOS ANGELES, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in its more than 60-year history, Mercury Insurance (NYSE/NYSE TX: MCY) analyzed proprietary claims data to identify the most dangerous moments on America's roads – and the results challenge a common assumption about rush hour driving. While crash volume peaks between 3:00 and 3:10pm, the risk of injury rises even higher about an hour later, between 4:00 and 4:10pm.