Posted in: | Feb 24,2019
A combination of several factors makes driving at night time one of the most dangerous activities. Here’s how you can increase your chances of reaching your destination after driving in the dark.
There are several reasons why most accidents occur during night-time or in the dark. Reduced vision increases your risk of an accident. Visibility problems can be compounded by flawed design, like poorly illuminated streets. Fatigue is another factor that increases accident risks for people during the night. Many people driving in the dark are returning home from work or after working a late shift. Their fatigue levels are higher, reducing their response time and impacting their judgement, both of which can increase their chances of being involved in an accident.
Traffic also tends to be busier after late evening when many persons are rushing to get back home. Night time is also when you are more likely to encounter drunk drivers. Intoxicated motorists can make the roads more dangerous for everyone around them.
There are some steps you can take to mitigate the impact of impaired visibility and other risk factors, and increase your chances of getting safely to your destination.
Make sure your windshield glass is clean. Remove streaks or stains that can impact your vision, causing you to make serious driving errors. Also ensure that your headlights are clean. Make sure that they are aimed correctly. Your headlight will provide the majority of lighting for you during night time, and it should be optimized for the best clarity.
The glare from the headlights of oncoming cars can also impact your driving, and increase the risk of a crash. Avoid looking into the headlights of oncoming cars.
Turn down your dashboard lights so that they don’t place strain on your eyes.
Above all, stay within safe speeds. You should not be driving at night times at the same speeds that you use in the day time. The risks of driving at night time are much greater as crash statistics every year prove. Lower your speeds, and always look out for unexpected accident cues like sudden turns, steep curves on the roads ahead of you and so on. These are very clear in the day time, but may not be so at night time.
The Indianapolis car accident lawyers at Montross Miller represent persons injured in car accidents in the Indianapolis region and across the state of Indiana. Call us to discuss if you have a legal claim for damages after an accident.
