The effort to decrease the number of moving vehicle accidents is one that is constantly ongoing. Unfortunately, car crashes remain a major cause of injuries and fatalities during the day and at night.
According to the National Safety Council, nearly 50% of traffic-related deaths occur after dark despite the roads being up to 75% less active. This disproportionate ratio can be mostly attributed to three prominent causes.
Low visibility
Perhaps the most obvious cause of nighttime crashes is a driver’s ability, or lack thereof, to see well in low-light conditions. Older individuals and those with eye defects are particularly susceptible to colliding with hard-to-see objects at night. Collisions with trees or other roadside obstacles can be especially likely in wooded areas where streetlights are not present to aid with visibility.
Exhaustion
Exhaustion and fatigue are vicious threats to consider when falling asleep behind the wheel is a real factor in many crashes. Drowsy driving can particularly affect workers with long shifts and truck drivers who spend their entire day on the road.
Impaired driving
The National Safety Council reports a noticeable increase in impaired drivers on the road after midnight. Individuals under the effects of alcohol, prescription medicine and other drugs are a risk to other vehicle operators and pedestrians at any hour of the day.
Drivers who take to the streets after dark should exercise due caution. Even when there are fewer cars on the road, environmental and societal factors provide all of the ingredients necessary for a harmful accident.