The Dangers of Driving at Night and 5 Safety Tips to Keep You Safe

Posted in Car Accidents,Our Blog on July 30, 2018

After the sun sets in Louisiana, thousands of people continue to travel on the state’s roadways. Whether they are coming home from work or going out for dinner and drinks, people are navigating alongside other cars and trucks with the help of bright headlights and streetlights. While this may be common practice, people are three times more likely to die in a car accident while driving at night than they are during the day, according to the National Safety Council.

When do Accidents Happen in Louisiana?

Injury Crashes by Hour of the Day

The hours between 2pm-6pm are when most injury crashes occur in Louisiana. The hour between 5-6pm had 3,892 crashes in 2018, which was the highest single hour of the day.

Fatal Crashes by Hour of the Day

The hour of the day  with the most fatal crashes was 9-10pm with a total of 52. The hour of 8-9pm was closely behind with 51 crashes, followed by 7-8pm with 48 fatal crashes.

Why do More Fatal Crashes Happen Later in the Day

As the data in the charts above shows, most fatal crashes in Louisiana occur in the late hours and early morning hours of the day. One of the main reasons why driving at night is so dangerous is the lack of natural light. Driving under low-light conditions can make it difficult for drivers to estimate the distance and speed of an on-coming vehicle when turning out into traffic. It can inhibit a driver’s peripheral vision as well. The bright glare of approaching headlights may even cause temporary blindness. The NSC reports that people over the age of 50-years-old require twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year-old. This is especially true if the motorist has eye conditions, such as glaucoma or cataracts. When the sun goes down, there is also an increase of drunk drivers on the road.

5 Tips for Safer Driving at Night

What can people do to minimize their risk of being involved in a night-time accident? Follow these safety tips below.

1. Never engage in any distractive activities while behind the wheel. People should make sure their full focus is on the road at all times and drive defensively. Obviously this is important during the daytime as well, but even more important when driving at night.
2. Drivers should also ensure their headlights are working well and avoid looking straight into other vehicles’ headlights.
3. Make sure your window is clean has nothing on it that can obscure your ability to see the road in front of you.
4. Don’t drive with your brights on when there are other vehicles in front of you. You don’t want to make it harder for those people to see the road in front of them.
5. Observe the speed limit! Speeding is a common factor in fatal car accidents so do not drive above the posted speeds.