AAA Warns of More Accidents in August

Seven of 15 deadliest days on the road occur between Aug. 1 and Labor Day, said the American Automobile Association.

"During the summer doldrums it seems the while world is away on vacation," said John Townsend with AAA. "Drivers tend to let their guard down when they are behind the wheel."

While August has remained a tragic month on the roads for motorists and passengers, statistics from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that the days of early September follow closely behind when it comes to fatalities. The number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and the fatality rate per 100 million VMT both reach their highest levels of the year during August, according to research done by the federal government.

Four of the the deadliest days for drivers in August have already passed, but the remaining days include Aug. 31, Sept. 1 and 2. In 2009, the last year that data is available from the NHTSA, 50 died on the roads in Maryland, and 48 died in Virginia. By comparison, only three people died in fatal crashes in Washington, D.C., said AAA.

The motor club and leisure travel organization advises that August is a high-travel month due to the combination of the last holiday weekend and lower gas prices.