What is the deadliest time to be driving on Bay area roads?

Who is most likely to be involved in a crash? And what intersection is the most dangerous in the greater Bay area?

Those questions and others were answered in an analysis of 29,000 crashes in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties from 2012, conducted by Bay News 9's partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times.   

The findings concluded most crashes in the Hillsborough and Pinellas counties happen during the day but people involved in crashes are more likely to be killed at night.

The study also found that most crashes at intersections involve drivers making left turns. Rear-end collisions are the second most common.     

The most accident-prone roadways in the area are the most heavily-traveled: Dale Mabry Highway, Interstate 275 and U.S. 19. The intersection with the most wrecks in Hillsborough County is Dale Mabry and Bearss Avenue/Ehrlich Road in Carrollwood. In Pinellas County, it's U.S. 19 and Tampa Road in Palm Harbor.

"It's really a lot of traffic," said driver Cathy Ihler of U.S. 19 near the Tampa Road intersection. "It's a little scary sometimes, people weaving in and out, speeding a little bit. There's a lot of businesses on that road, people pulling in out, so it's a little dangerous. You've got to really pay attention."

And, according to the study, despite all the recent news about red light runners and wrong-way drivers, the vast majority of crashes are caused by sober drivers, often distracted and simply driving too fast.

The study also yielded these facts:

  • About 58 percent of the Bay area traffic-related deaths were motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians.
  • Across the Bay area, drivers between the ages of 15 and 34 are involved in the most crashes.
  • Drivers over the age of 65 are involved in the least amount of crashes.
  • Less than 7 percent of all Pinellas crashes involved intoxication, but 46 percent of its fatal crashes involved intoxication.

And, lastly,  the peak season of crashes is upon us, with the highest number of crashes happening in October, November and December.