You may drive the same roads every day, but once the sun goes down, those same roads become more dangerous. Research indicates that you are three times more likely to end up in an accident at night than during the day.
A variety of factors contributes to that statistic. The more you know about the factors that increase your danger, the more likely you are to avoid a catastrophe.
Why driving at night increases the risk
Below are the more common reasons why driving at night is more dangerous than during the day:
- If you have problems with your peripheral vision, loss of central vision, and difficulty seeing at night or in poor light, then you may suffer from night blindness.
- Visibility decreases at night, which makes it challenging even to know just how close you are to the vehicle in front of you.
- Construction crews often work at night in order to avoid working during peak hours of the day.
- Your age plays a role in your ability to drive safely at night. The older you are, the more light your eyes need in order to see.
- There are usually more drunk drivers on the roads at night.
As you can see, one or more of these factors make it difficult to drive as safely at night as you can during the day. If you don’t adjust your driving for the conditions, you may not see another vehicle or obstacle until it’s too late. Obviously, the first course of action is to slow down and leave more space between your vehicle and the one in front of you at night to give yourself more time and room to react if needed.
Another thing you can do is make sure your headlights are working and keep the interior of your vehicle dark. Don’t look directly at another driver’s headlights or streetlights. The more you keep your eyes adjusted to the darkness, the better you will see.
What happens if you are the only one taking precautions?
Unfortunately, not all drivers are as diligent as you are. If you end up in an accident and suffer serious injuries due to another driver’s negligence or recklessness, you may be able to seek compensation for your financial losses and other damages related to the crash. An Illinois personal injury attorney could prove invaluable in that endeavor.