Halloween driving collisions 50% higher than bank holidays, Cuvva reveals

As Halloween approaches, leading temporary car insurance provider, Cuvva warns drivers to be vigilant on the roads as Great Britain embraces an annual spike in road collisions on Halloween. The rise in accidents is often linked to darker evenings, unsettled autumn weather and other unusual activity on the roads.

Data from the Department for Transport shows that the risk of car accidents increases significantly at Halloween, with the number of personal injury collisions reported to the police were much higher than on some of the busiest travel days of the year in 2023.

There were 341 personal injury collisions reported to the police on 31st October, compared to 228 on the August Bank Holiday Monday (28th August) – an increase of almost 50%.1

Last October, the number of personal injury collisions were also 18% higher on October 31st 2023 than the average number of daily collisions that occurred in the two weeks leading up to Halloween.

A number of factors raise the risk of collisions on Halloween according to the car insurance app, Cuvva. As British Summer Time (BST) ended on 27th October, drivers may still be adjusting to the change in seasons, darker evenings, and low-lying sun can impair visibility.

And with lots of children out trick or treating, often wearing dark costumes and in low light, there’s an increased risk of accidents involving pedestrians.

Some roads may even present drivers with hazards from beyond the grave, as over the years many drivers have reported paranormal sightings on major roads across the UK.

Roads like the M6, the UK’s longest motorway and also one of the most haunted. Several unlucky drivers have spotted a phantom lorry driving the wrong way down the road. Unfortunately, motorists can’t even pay the toll to avoid spooks, as ghostly Roman soldiers have been reported on the toll road near Lichfield.

Spooky sights can also be spotted on Stocksbridge Bypass, where many drivers have witnessed ghostly children vanishing before their eyes. And there have been plenty of reports of a shady, hunched-over figure on the side of the A666 (also known as the Devil’s Highway).

Darryl Bowman from Cuvva commented, “Take care on the roads this Halloween. Even if you’re just popping to the shop to top up on Halloween sweets, it’s really important to make sure you have fully comprehensive insurance before you drive off.

“The majority of accidents happen close to home. And at Halloween there are even more hazards on the roads than usual. Remember, there is nothing spooky about temporary cover. You can get insured for as little as an hour, so you can have total peace of mind while you’re on the road.”