The Super Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 1, but fans of the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots can hardly wait the few days until kickoff. In the meantime, they can busy themselves with the complete overexposure of their favorite teams.
For supporters of the NFL's 30 other teams, however, it's a long time until the season starts anew, which often leaves them scrambling for any headlines. Luckily for those fans, the Highway Loss Data Institute recently took a look at driving behavior around stadiums on game days.
According to data from the organization, the number of
auto insurance claims from the ZIP codes around NFL stadiums increases when there's a game played in the venue. The ZIP code that housed the stadium saw the biggest jump in claims, but surrounding areas also posted slight increases.
There may be some explanation as to the need for
auto repair. The HLDI found that the outcome of the game may have something to do with how cautious drivers are on the roads. When there's a game and the home team wins, for instance, the rate of collision claims is about 3.2 percent higher than usual. If the local squad loses or ties, however, that rate jumps to 9.4 percent more than average.
Although not all stadiums experienced the phenomenon to the same extent, it's certainly something for drivers to keep in mind - particularly if they want to avoid the hassle of
car repair and insurance claims.
"The game day effect was much more pronounced at some stadiums than at others," said HLDI Vice President Matt Moore. "This may point to differences in policing and traffic management strategies, which could present opportunities for improvement."