New research has revealed the most dangerous hours to be driving across mid and north Wales.

New figures have shown late afternoons are the most dangerous times to drive in rural Wales, accounting for the largest number of collisions.

As driving becomes more treacherous with bad weather and visibility drops with few daylight hours, analysis from Confused.com shows that across Powys, Ceredigion, Gwynedd and Carmarthenshire, late afternoon is by far the most dangerous time to be on the road.

The hour between 4-5pm accounts for the largest number of collisions in both Ceredigion and Gwynedd.

Ceredigion had two hours tied for the top, with both 4-5pm and 5-6pm when 17 collisions occurred.

In Powys, the most dangerous hour is between 6-7pm, accounting for 26 collisions, and in Carmarthenshire, the hour is earlier, between 3-4pm when 29 collisions occurred.

This is in contrast to the overall most dangerous hour across the UK, which is between 3-4am on a Sunday.

Using the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Traffic Flow Index, Confused.com created a Safety Index to show how risky each hour is in terms of collisions relative to traffic levels.

UK-wide, the safest hours are between 5-7am on weekdays, and 9-10am on weekends.

Further research involving 2,000 drivers found that almost one in 3 (29 per cent) drivers revealed they exceed the speed limit at least sometimes.

While more than one in 4 (27 per cent) say they do so specifically when roads are quieter, which coincides with the very timings that the Safety Index highlights as the most dangerous.

Rhydian Jones, Confused.com car insurance expert, said: “Road safety relies on more than just how many cars are on the road.

“It depends on how conditions evolve through the day, and our analysis makes that pattern unmistakably clear.

“The late afternoon sees the highest number of collisions because the roads are busy.

“But when we look at the risk per vehicle, it’s the late-night and early-morning hours that are proportionately the most dangerous.

“That’s when visibility drops, fatigue sets in, and roads are quiet enough that drivers may take more risks.

“With the festive season approaching, we know journeys become longer, traffic becomes heavier, and weather conditions get tougher.

“Our research shows many drivers already feel nervous, especially at night or in unfamiliar areas, and nearly a third admit to speeding when the roads look quiet.

“Our interactive ‘Safety Index’ tool can help drivers make informed decisions about when they travel, reducing risk and helping them stay safer behind the wheel.”

To help drivers better understand and plan around these risks ahead of the busy road season, Confused.com has created an interactive ‘Safety Index’ tool.

This tool allows motorists to explore the safest and most dangerous hours across each day of the week, based on national traffic flow and collision data.

By toggling between days, users can see how the risk profile changes and identify lower-risk windows for essential journeys.

Access Confused.com’s Safety Index tool here - https://www.confused.com/compare-car-insurance/safest-time-to-drive