The Dangers Of Driving In The Dark In Arizona

As the days get shorter, darkness ensues for longer nights during winter months. The sun goes down at approximately 5:30 p.m. which is prime time for traffic with the evening rush hour commute. Driving in the dark isn’t easy for many as visibility is diminished. Car lights can be blinding and it is not as easy to see other distractions on the road during the night as it is during the day. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that about 50 percent of crashes take place during night time hours. Fatalities in car accidents in the dark increase significantly. Fatalities are 3 times more likely to occur at night than during the day in car accidents.

Difficulties with Nighttime Driving

• When the sun goes down it is much harder to see clearly. Depth perception decreases which makes it difficult to decipher where other objects and cars are concerning your own vehicle. Colors are harder to see, and peripheral vision decreases in the dark making even the best eyes be put to the test.
• Most people sleep at night, so during the peak hours of the night, there are going to be more drowsy drivers than there would be during the day. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that approximate 13 percent of all Americans report falling asleep at least one time per month while driving on the roads. The other thing that makes drivers more drowsy and less alert on the roads is inebriation. Most people will drink alcohol towards the end of the day and through the night. This makes nighttime driving much riskier for everyone on the road.
• Night blindness is a real phenomenon. Night blindness occurs when the eyes are unable to see as clearly in dimmer environments. Glaucoma, cataracts, and diabetes are just some of the reasons one may have issues with seeing well when they are in dim light.

Safety Tips For Night Driving

The same rules that apply today driving also apply at night it is just that our senses and alertness should be intensified to make up for the challenges darker environments present. These tips should help you reduce your risk of accidents at night:

• Make sure your headlights are working well.
• The positioning of headlights matter. Headlights should be a bit lower than the center of your vehicle so you can see the road well and not blind others driving around you.
• Don’t look straight into oncoming headlights as this can cause temporary blindness.
• Watch closely to your surroundings for animals. Especially if you are driving in a more rural area, outside of the city you are at higher risk for an animal darting out into the road and causing an accident.
• Only drive if you can stay awake and be alert. If you are sleepy call a driver or get a friend to drive when possible.

Injured In A Car Accident At Night? 

The Phoenix serious injury attorneys at ELG will provide you with the resourceful and effective legal representation you need after a serious accident that has caused you injuries. Our experienced team of Phoenix car accident attorneys will answer all of your questions and guide you through the personal injury claim process. Call the attorneys at ELG today and set up a free consultation. We are here to discuss your accident experience at either our Phoenix or Mesa personal injury law offices at (623) 562-3838.