It is officially fall and Ohio residents may begin to notice cooler temperatures as the days push into October. As summer fades longer nights will begin to take control of Cincinnati evenings, leading to darker commutes and less light earlier in the afternoons. Longer nights are a sign of changing seasons but can also be treacherous for drivers.
Darkness is a factor that can contribute to motor vehicle accidents. This post will introduce some of the problems related to darkness that can create roadway hazards. Although this post is informational in content it should not be read as legal advice.
How darkness impacts driving safety
Driving at night presents risks to drivers that are not experienced during daylight hours. Some of those risks include, but are not limited to:
- Compromised vision: Darkness makes it harder to see, regardless of what a person is doing. It makes it more difficult to see pedestrians, other vehicles, and roadway obstructions.
- Glare: Drivers may find it hard to see when the glare of streetlights, vehicle lights, and others impact their vision. Glare can obstruct a driver’s view of what is in front of them.
- Fatigue: Darkness can cause some drivers to feel tired. Drowsy driving is dangerous because it can make drivers less reactive to what is happening around them.
Other driving hazards exist at night, too. Those may include distracted driving, aggressive driving, drunk driving, and other driving issues that impact roadways during both day and night.
How to stay safe at night
There are many steps that drivers can take to prevent nighttime accidents. They can practice safe driving by limiting their distractions and not letting other drivers’ actions upset them. They can ensure that their vehicle’s lights are both operational and property aligned to support their nighttime vision. They can also have regular vision check-ups to make sure they are seeing as well as possible when they are in their vehicles.
Nighttime driving can be hazardous, and too many accidents in the evenings impact the long-term health and wellbeing of victims. Personal injury attorneys can advise their motor vehicle accident clients on their rights and how best to pursue their accident-related losses.
