Most motor vehicle drivers understand that nighttime driving is much more dangerous than driving during daytime hours. One reason for this difference is that many drivers fail to exercise an appropriate degree of caution to compensate for the low visibility while driving at night. This post will examine the deadly nature of nighttime accidents and outline some steps motorists can take to decrease the risk of these accidents.
How Dangerous are Nighttime Accidents?
Nighttime accidents can happen to anyone. In reality, they are much more common than you might think. Here are some alarming facts about nighttime accidents:
The National Safety Council reports that the risk of ending up in a deadly accident is three times greater at night when compared to the day.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found that the deadliest time of day for motor vehicle accidents is 6 pm to 9 pm.
Common Causes of Nighttime Car Accidents
Nighttime accidents in Missouri are caused by a number of factors. Some of the most common causes of these accidents include the following:
- Decreased visibility at nighttime.
- Night blindness can occur, which is when a driver is unable to see clearly in dim light.
- Fatigued driving is a bigger problem at night because motorist’s bodies are preparing for their usual sleep cycle
- Drunk driving is more likely to occur at night
- Distracted driving
- There are more active construction zones at night, which when combined with decreased visibility, can lead to deadly accidents
Tips to Stay Safe While Night Driving
While they will not eliminate the danger of ending up in a nighttime accident, the steps below can drastically reduce your chances of being in a collision. Safe nighttime driving strategies include the following:
- Avoid two-lane highways while night driving, which are a common location of deadly collisions due to headlight glare.
- Drive defensively. This means avoid placing your vehicle into situations in which an accident is likely to occur.
- Combat fatigue. If you find yourself too tired to continue to safely drive your vehicle, pull over to a safe area and get some rest. By losing alertness while driving, your chance of ending up in an accident increases substantially.
- Dirty or damaged windshields can hamper a motorist’s vision, which means that the driver might not promptly notice dangerous conditions that arise in the road.
- Speeding is involved in a large number of nighttime accidents. By slowing down at night, you can greatly increase the chances that you will be able to respond to obstacles that might arise suddenly in front of you.
- Be observant of wildlife like deer that can run across the road suddenly and are especially common between October and January. The high-beams of a vehicle can help a driver spot an animal’s eyes. If you spot an animal on Missouri’s roads, the safest way to respond is by slowing down and stopping rather than swerving.
Speak with an Experienced Car Accident Attorney
If you have been involved in a nighttime accident that was caused by another party’s negligence, you should not hesitate to speak with a compassionate accident lawyer. Contact House Law LLC today by calling (816) 875-4260 to schedule a free case evaluation.
Tags: car accidents
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