As a Delaware motorist, you may be familiar with navigating the roadways during the day. Once the sun sets, however, increased dangers may also increase your risk of becoming involved in a serious car accident.
According to AAA, you are three times more likely to die in a car accident at night than during the day. There are several reasons for this rise in risk. First, the lack of natural sunlight is a major component in reducing your ability to see the roadways around you. You are less likely to see objects and/or animals in the road, pedestrians, bicyclists, traffic signs, crosswalks and other drivers at night.
In low light conditions, drivers may have a decreased sense of peripheral vision and depth perception. This means that it may be difficult to judge the speed and distance of an approaching vehicle when making a turn out into traffic. This deficiency is increased in elderly drivers or motorists who suffer from certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma or cataracts.
Other heightened dangers that occur at night include the following:
- More drunk drivers on the road
- More construction sites and road workers
- Headlight blindness can cause temporary blindness
When driving at night, it is best to slow down and stay alert. Avoid distractions, such as talking on a cellphone, handling children in the back seat or composing emails using voice-activated technology. Make sure you are able to react to drunk, drowsy and distracted drivers on the road. Furthermore, make sure your car’s headlights, brakes and windshield wipers are in good working order.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.