Driving at night is more dangerous, even though there is often less traffic than during daylight hours. In fact, nighttime crashes are three times more fatal than those that occur during the day, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
There are a few reasons for these sad statistics:
- We don’t see as well in the dark, so we often have less time and space to stop.
- Glare from streetlights can sometimes make it harder to see.
- There are more drunk drivers on the road at night.
- Drivers are more likely to be drowsy behind the wheel.
But sometimes we have no choice but to drive at night. In those cases, consider these tips to reduce your chances of getting into an accident.
Don’t drive while drowsy — If you are on your way home from out of town or working a late shift and start feeling sleepy, it’s best to pull over, get some caffeine in your system and rest a while.
People use a number of techniques to wake themselves up, including turning on the radio and singing, rolling down the windows for fresh air or stopping to take a short walk to get the blood flowing again.
But if you’re really tired, find a place to stay for the night. It’s not worth becoming a statistic for lack of a good sleep.
Drive defensively — One of the big dangers at night is drowsy drivers or motorists driving under the influence. They are more likely to run red lights, speed or drive erratically. Put your defenses up and stay alert for bad drivers.
Avoid two-lane highways — Head-on collisions happen most often on two-lane roads without barriers or medians. Vehicles pass close together at high speeds, and oncoming headlights can briefly blind you. Sharp turns make these roads even more dangerous.
Try to give the opposing lane a wide berth by driving more to the right edge of your lane. If you can, use a safer route at night.
Reduce your speed — Speeding is a factor in 37% of nighttime crash fatalities, compared to 21% during the day, according to the NHTSA. Reduce your speed at night so you have more time to react to hazards.
Use high beams in right conditions — Use your high beams at night if there’s no oncoming traffic, especially in rural areas. Switch to low beams when you’re within 500 feet of an oncoming car or driving behind another vehicle.
Turn down interior lighting — If your dashboard lights are too bright, they can reduce your ability to see the road, especially if you look down at your speedometer and then back to the dark road ahead. Dim your interior lights just enough to see the important gauges.
Look away from car lights — To avoid being blinded by the lights of an oncoming vehicle, shift your eyes down and to the right, using the right edge of the road or lane markings to stay on track. Once the car has passed, return your focus to the full road ahead.