Study Finds Accident Rates Increase After Seahawks Lose

By Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. on February 3, 2020

Seattle fans are known nationally to be some of the most passionate and devoted sports fans in the world. Let’s face it – our team is the best! When we have a home game, the amount of traffic naturally increases around the Seahawks Stadium (officially the CenturyLink Field). With increased traffic, you can naturally expect an increase in the risk of accidents. A recent study from Q13 Fox TV found that when the Seahawks lose a home game (which, of course, has never happened) there is a 9.4% increase in accidents!

Possible increased risks of accidents

We can all speculate as to why this might be, but the likely causes are:

• Increased road rage from the understandable upset of Seahawk fans
• Loss of focus on the road
• Increase in drunk drivers

The fact is, whether you’re a Seahawk fan or not, driving around after the Seahawks lose can be dangerous. Even if you maintain sober, level-headed, and focused driving, you are still at risk because of the increased number of crazed drivers around you.

How to stay safe

If you’re driving back from a game, or even just driving around the game, there are several things you can do to stay safe and reduce your own risk of an accident. While the key is following all of the laws of defensive driving, some key pointers are:

• Don’t drink and drive. While this sounds obvious, emotions can get high during a game, and you must always maintain a designated driver and never drive after drinking.
• Wait until most people have left and the traffic dies down. Most people will try to go as soon as the game is over. If you wait an hour or two and relax with your friends and family, you will likely find a much safer level of traffic. And you’ll probably get home around the same time anyway!
• Leave a bit early. While most fans will never consider this, you can always leave just before the end of the game if it’s not going well, avoiding the traffic. If it’s a tight game, then, of course, this will never happen.
• Don’t tailgate. Tailgating is one of the most common causes of rear-end collisions and can result in angry confrontations that further delay traffic.
• Don’t cut anyone off. Cutting people off to save a minute or two can result in road rage and unsafe driving. Avoid it to stay safe.
• Don’t give anyone a reason to have road rage. After the loss of a game, people will likely be more inclined to react to honking, rude gestures, or anything else that could prompt road rage. Be extra courteous on the road.
• Don’t block any intersections. Blocking intersections can upset people and inspire them to drive aggressively, as well as further delaying traffic. Be careful.
• Keep your eyes focused on the road for any pedestrians or other drivers. There will be a LOT of people on the streets, both pedestrians and drivers. Keep an extra close eye out for anyone and avoid a collision.

What to do if you do have an accident

If you do get involved in an accident, we can help. Our acclaimed Seattle auto accident attorneys are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. With a no-fee guarantee (we don’t pay unless we win your case), you can be confident that we do everything possible to pursue the compensation that you deserve in an auto accident. Contact us today at (425) 228-3860 or toll-free at (888) 228-3860 for a free consultation.