Driving at any time has risks.
According to the National Safety Council, driving in the dark is even riskier—50% of traffic deaths happen between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. This is an alarming trend despite only one-quarter of driving happening at night.
Why? Most of the risk comes down to driver fatigue and lower visibility. Drowsiness often sets in after the sun has gone down and the day’s activities are over.
Below we’ve compiled some tips to lower your driving risk at night.
Tips on Driving in the Dark
- Clean headlights and make sure they’re working.
- Wear anti-reflective glasses if you wear eyeglasses.
- Slow down.
- Clean your windshield to get rid of any debris.
- Minimize distractions. Put your phone down and keep your eyes on the road.
- Get sleep. Studies show that driving while sleep-deprived can be just as dangerous as driving while impaired.
- Turn down your dashboard and instrument panel lighting.
- Don’t stare at oncoming lights.
- Clean and adjust your rearview and side mirrors.
- Keep your vision sharp. Visit the optometrist if you are having vision problems.
Whether the road is familiar to you or not, research shows that driving at night is inherently more risky than driving during the day. Over 42,000 people died in car accidents in 2020. By taking these proactive steps, we can reduce these numbers.
Experienced Car Accident Attorneys
Have you been involved in a car accident at night? The law office of Kaiman & Crahan can answer your legal questions with expertise and empathy. We provide free case evaluations, just give us a call or fill out an online form here.