October Is the Deadliest Month on Contra Costa’s Roads

That is October in Contra Costa County, and it is the deadliest month of the year on our roads.

My team went through six years of federal records covering every fatal crash in the county from 2019 through 2024. There were 469 crashes, and 509 people died in them. October had 53 of those crashes. The next-deadliest months, July and December, had 43 each. October runs about 36% above an average month.

It isn’t only here. October was the deadliest month on roads across California and the entire country, too. From 2019 through 2024, 2,317 people died in October crashes in California and 22,601 died nationwide, more than in any other month. October also topped the list in 10 states, California among them. Those figures come from our analysis of the same federal database.

Contra Costa fatal crashes by month, 2019 to 2024

Nothing About October Looks Dangerous

That is the problem. Fall feels like a break: cooler mornings, the first rain, kids counting down to Halloween. Nobody braces for October the way they do for a holiday weekend.

But three ordinary things change this month, and they all land on the same roads and the same evenings.

The Dark Comes Early

On Oct. 1, the sun sets in Concord at about 6:52 p.m. By Oct. 31, it sets at about 6:11. Then the clocks fall back on Sunday, Nov. 1, and sunset jumps to about 5:10. A commute that ended in daylight in September now ends in the dark.

The dark is where people die. Half of the county’s fatal crashes happened between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m., and the single deadliest hour was 1 a.m.

People on foot pay the most for it. Pedestrians were 119 of the county’s 509 traffic deaths, nearly one in four. Nationally, 76% of pedestrian deaths in 2024 happened in the dark, according to NHTSA.

The First Rain Is the Worst Rain

All summer, oil, grease, and grime build up on dry pavement. The first storms don’t wash it away. They lift it into a slippery film. Stopping on a wet highway takes about twice as long as on a dry one, Caltrans warns.

Then Comes Halloween

A 2018 study in JAMA Pediatrics found that the risk of a pedestrian being killed is about 43% higher on Halloween evening than on comparison evenings. For children ages 4 to 8, the risk was about 10 times higher. The most dangerous window was 5 to 8 p.m.

This year, Halloween falls on a Saturday, the night before the clocks change. Weekends are already the county’s deadliest days: 52% of its fatal crashes happened Friday through Sunday.

The Same Roads, Year After Year

The danger isn’t spread evenly. Highway 4 had 88 deaths over the six years, more than I-680 and Highway 24 combined.

What I’d Do This Week

You can’t change the sunset or the weather. You can get ready for both, and none of it takes more than a few minutes.

1. Check your tires before the first storm. Put a quarter upside down in a tread groove. If you can see all of Washington’s head, you’re down to about 4/32 of an inch and it’s time to shop. If a penny shows all of Lincoln’s head, you’re at 2/32 or less and should replace them now, per Consumer Reports. Check pressure too: it drops about 1 psi for every 10 degrees the air cools, according to AAA.
2. Replace tired wipers. Summer heat hardens and cracks the rubber, so blades that worked in spring can smear the first time it rains. AAA recommends new blades every 6 to 12 months.
3. Wipers on, lights on. California’s “wipers on, lights on” law requires your headlights whenever your wipers are running.
4. Slow down at dusk. Between sunset and full dark, people on foot are hardest to see. Watch crosswalks and corners closely.
5. Treat Halloween like a school zone. From 5 to 8 p.m., drive residential streets slowly, expect kids to step out between parked cars, and back out of driveways with extra care. If you’re celebrating that night, plan a sober ride home before you go out.

If a Crash Happens Anyway

The first few days shape everything that comes after. These steps protect both your health and your claim:

• See a doctor, even if you feel fine. Some injuries take days to show up.
• Call the police, and photograph the scene, the vehicles, and your injuries.
• Get names and phone numbers from witnesses.
• Be careful what you tell the other driver’s insurance company, and don’t sign anything until you understand it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the deadliest month to drive in Contra Costa County?

October. From 2019 through 2024, it had 53 of the county’s 469 fatal crashes, more than any other month, according to Scranton Law Firm’s analysis of federal crash data.

Is October the deadliest month in California and the U.S. too?

Yes. From 2019 through 2024, October had more traffic deaths than any other month both in California (2,317) and nationwide (22,601), according to Scranton Law Firm’s analysis of NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

Why are October roads so dangerous?

Earlier sunsets push more driving into the dark, the first rain leaves roads slick, and Halloween puts children in the street at dusk.

When does daylight saving time end in 2026?

Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at 2 a.m. In Concord, sunset moves from about 6:11 p.m. on Saturday to about 5:10 p.m. on Sunday.

Do I have to turn on my headlights when my wipers are on in California?

Yes. California law requires your headlights whenever your windshield wipers are running.

How do I know when my tires need replacing?

Use the quarter test. If you can see all of Washington’s head in a groove, your tread is about 4/32 of an inch, so start shopping. At 2/32, where a penny shows all of Lincoln’s head, replace them right away.

About the Data

Sources

• Contra Costa dangerous-roads report, Scranton Law Firm (NHTSA FARS, 2019 to 2024)
• Fatality Analysis Reporting System, NHTSA (national files, 2019 to 2024)
• Traffic Safety Facts 2024 Data: Pedestrians, NHTSA, DOT HS 813 818 (June 2026)
• Motorists should prepare for rain-slick roadways, Caltrans District 3 (Nov. 26, 2019)
• Pedestrian fatalities increase on Halloween, University of British Columbia, on the 2018 JAMA Pediatrics study
• Tire safety checklist, Consumer Reports
• When to replace your windshield wipers, AAA
• Cold air and tire pressure, CBS News Texas, citing AAA
• Wipers on, lights on, State Sen. Joe Simitian, the law’s author
• Sunset times: calculated with NOAA’s solar position equations for Concord (approximate)