A nighttime drive can feel relatively peaceful. There aren’t any vehicles or pedestrians. It can feel like having the road to oneself in some cases. Unfortunately, while night drives can be calm, they are statistically more dangerous than drives taken before the sun sets.
Nighttime driving requires special attention to one’s surroundings due to increased fatal collision risk. While people spend less time on the road at night, the risk of a deadly crash is higher than it is during the day.
What makes driving at night so dangerous?
According to the National Safety Council, nighttime is statistically the most dangerous time to be on the road. People only travel a small minority of their overall miles while it is dark outside, but a sizable portion of fatal crashes occur after dark. Pedestrians are at especially high risk of fatal collisions after the sun sets.
Visibility issues are a contributing factor to the risk of nighttime driving. Motorists may only be able to see a hundred feet or so ahead of them, leaving them with less time to respond to disabled vehicles, pedestrians or animals in the road.
The increased presence of drunk drivers after people have overindulged at bars or parties is another common safety concern. Animal activity is also an issue, as nighttime may see various animals hunting or looking for companionship, depending on the season.
How can drivers stay safe?
There are multiple ways to minimize the risk involved in nighttime driving. Avoiding alcohol intoxication is of the utmost importance. Driver should also avoid mobile phone distractions, as limited visibility can worsen the safety impact of distraction. Additionally, the light of a mobile phone can make it harder to monitor road conditions in the dark.
Even though there may be fewer people and vehicles present, driving slightly slower might be the safest option. Slower speeds help account for reduced visibility. Finally, drivers may want to increase their following distance when there are other vehicles near them on the nighttime roads.
If an accident does occur, reviewing the details of a nighttime car crash can help people determine who was at fault and evaluate their options for compensation. The other driver or their insurance policy may be able to compensate those hurt in a nighttime crash.