How does the number of passengers in your car increase your risk of getting into an accident?

Manny

1) More people in the car means more people to talk to and to talk to you, causing you to divert attention away from the road, where it should be.

2) A lot of times, when people talk in a car, they actually turn their head away from the road to talk to their passengers. Looking away from the road in a moving car... even for a moment ...is incredibly dangerous. at 70mph, you are moving at 102 feet per second. 50mph = 73 feet per second (a lot of people move at 45-50mph in urban areas, on roads with lots of driveways to and from business with lots of stop lights). So, looking to your passenger to talk, even for "a couple of sec" means a lot of distance as traveled and a lot of stuff can happen in that distance.

3) For male drivers, the temptation to drive stupid (race, cut off other drivers, drive too fast for the conditions) is increased with other male passengers. Trying to show off for your friends or trying not to look like a chump gets a lot of men killed/maimed/paralyzed.

rollo_tomassi423

The more passengers, the more the driver is distracted.

Blazs (Skoda 120GL)

The risk can depend upon what kind of passengers you have.
For example, kids unable to zip it, can be very annoying during a long trip, which can distract your attention.

On the other hand, driving tired without having a partner to chat with, might end in falling asleep. Previously I was repairing my car at a friend who lived far away from my place. It was late, I was tired, so I moved out home. I was close to my place, when I passed an overhead crossing. The feel of elevation was good, I closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened it, I was idling in a crossing approx. 400 metres away waiting for the green lamp. The road was straight and empty, I didn't even left my lane! I cannot recall how I got there.

presidentrichardnixon

If it is above the maximum occupancy, it will likely rise.

The RainMaker

If you are referring to your insurance policy for new drivers, having more passengers in your car increases the chances of death and injury in the case of an accident. Therefore insurance policies hate that...