With fall just around the corner, you know what that means. It’s starting to get darker earlier. As the days begin to shorten and night arrives earlier, let’s explore the correlation between nighttime and car accidents. Let’s be sure we understand the risk factors, such as reduced visibility and fatigue, associated with nighttime driving and learn some practical tips to stay safe on the road after dark.
Is It Common for Car Accidents to Happen at Night?
Study after study reveals what most of us already suspect to be true. More car accidents happen at night. In fact, studies show that those on the road in the hours between dusk and dawn are three times more likely to be involved in a serious car accident. There are a number of reasons why nighttime driving is more dangerous than daytime driving and, as a result, why more car accidents happen at night.
For starters, visibility is lower at night. With it being darker outside at night, visibility is significantly diminished, even when there is adequate street light. Additionally, when it is darker, depth perception is impacted as is peripheral vision and color recognition. This all makes driving at night more dangerous. Already present visibility restrictions presented by the darker hours of the day can be further exacerbated for those whose vision is already impaired. As such, be sure you always have your glasses or corrective lenses on for nighttime driving. Also, windshield glare, dust, dirt, and wiper marks, can make it even tougher to see at night, so be sure your windshield is clean and your wipers are in good condition.
Headlights can also impact driver visibility at night. This is particularly true with drivers who use their high beams to see better and a wider breadth while on the road at night. When used improperly, others on the roadway can be momentarily blinded by the headlights of another driver, placing them in a dangerous position for a period of time after the high-beam encounter. After all, a crash can be caused in a mere moment of limited visibility.
Another factor that makes nighttime driving more dangerous is the reality that there are more drunk drivers and more fatigued drivers on the road during this time. Drunk drivers tend to come out at night, even more so on weekends. Fatigued drivers are also much more common on the road at night. In fact, fatigued driving is a leading cause of serious motor vehicle crashes occurring at night. Many drivers are struggling to stay awake as they drive home from long work shifts or try to cover more ground on a long road trip. Drunk drivers and fatigued drivers alike suffer from slowed reaction times, impaired judgment, and more side effects that make them a danger on the roadway.
North Dakota Personal Injury Attorneys
Have you been injured in a nighttime car accident? You are not alone. The dedicated personal injury team at Pringle & Herigstad is here for you. Contact us today.
