Driving at Night Increases the Risk of a Deadly Accident
After dark, the likelihood of drivers on the roads of Indiana and Illinois being involved in a fatal crash rises an astounding three-hundred percent (300%) according to Illinois’ internationally respected National Safety Council.
There are several factors working together which increase the chance of someone dying in a car crash or motor vehicle accident after dark. Some drivers are more vulnerable than others to night driving dangers, and there certain types of vehicles (e.g., commercial trucks) that face a greater risk of fatality while driving at night.
1. Limited Visibility on Roads When Driving After Dark
One of the obvious reasons that there is a higher risk of a fatal car crash when driving at night is the inability of human beings to see as well once there is less light available to them (“low luminance”).
Drivers simply cannot see as well at night while driving on our roads, even in the best of weather conditions.
First, the human eye will have decreased depth perception after dark. Drivers will not be able to recognize colors as easily as they can in the daytime. And for many drivers, bright lights from headlights as well as surrounding lights on the highway or along the roadside can hamper or block visibility. Oncoming headlights, especially on high beam, can effectively blind a driver. See, Plainis, S., I. J. Murray, and I. G. Pallikaris. “Road traffic casualties: understanding the night-time death toll.” Injury Prevention 12.2 (2006): 125-138.
We cannot see as far down the road when driving at night.
According to the NSC, a driver’s visibility on the road after dark will be 250 feet for normal headlights, regardless of how fast or slow they are driving. This means that someone driving at night on an Indiana interstate will have much less time to react (and brake, change lanes, swerve, etc.) than someone driving after dark on a suburban street in Illinois.
Some drivers have compromised vision after dark.
Another complication involves older drivers who may not be able to see as well as younger drivers. Drivers who are 60 years old or older may suffer from eye diseases or cataracts and have a compromised ability to see well when driving after dark. See, Owsley, Cynthia. “Aging and vision.” Vision research 51.13 (2011): 1610-1622.
2. Teen Drivers Face Higher Risk of Fatal Crash When Night Driving
Driving after dark presents significant dangers to drivers who are under the age of majority. Teen drivers have less experience behind the wheel, of course, and this can be a factor in a fatal crash while night driving.
However, teen drivers are also known to be more likely to be driving over the speed limit, without a safety belt, or driving either distracted or impaired. For teen drivers who tragically die in a fatal accident, statistics show the deadly crash is much more likely to happen if the teenager is driving after dark.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over half (57%) of all fatal teen motor vehicle accidents happen after dark and before midnight.
It is important to note that while Indiana has passed “graduated driver’s licensing” laws that curtail the ability of a teen driver to drive while learning to drive, this does not limit his or her ability to drive after dark, as does the Graduated Driver’s Licensing laws passed in the State of Illinois.
3. Night Driving Danger: Drowsy Drivers on the Road
Obviously, drivers may be more likely to be sleepy while driving at night than during the daytime.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatal crashes attributed to drowsy driving are likely to happen during the late night hours, usually between midnight and six o’clock in the morning.
Some drivers are at a higher risk to drive while fatigued, or as “drowsy drivers,” according to the CDC they include: (1) drivers who do not get enough sleep before getting on the road; (2) commercial truck drivers; (3) shift workers who are driving to or from work after working the night shift; (4) drivers suffering from sleep apnea; and (5) drivers who have taken drugs that cause drowsiness (this can include over-the-counter medications).
We have discussed the risks of drowsy driving before, see:
- Drowsy Driving and the Risk of Fatal Traffic Accidents in Indiana and Illinois
- Drowsy Truck Drivers: Commuting to Work Contributing to Fatal Truck Crashes
- Fatigued, Tired Drivers Said to Cause 20% of All U.S. Traffic Deaths: Drowsy Drivers at Fault?
- Asleep at the Wheel: Another Truck Driver Too Tired to Drive In State Route 49 (Indiana 49) Fatal Crash
Night Driving Fatalities: Seeking Justice for Victims of Fatal Crashes That Happened After Dark
In both Indiana and Illinois, there are laws that provide avenues for justice to those who have been victims of serious and fatal motor vehicle accidents caused by the neglect of another. Each of these fatal crashes must be respected for its individuality: investigation and research must be undertaken with consideration of the specific circumstances involved in the incident.
However, when the fatal accident has occurred after sundown, night driving factors must be considered. Even the most careful driver can be susceptible to things like impaired vision in the darkness, or someone fighting off a bout of the flu unintentionally becoming drowsy from a grocery store medicine.
Personal injury and wrongful death laws of Indiana and Illinois exist to serve victims of fatal nighttime crashes.
Daylight Savings Time ends in less than ninety days in both Indiana and Illinois (on November 3, 2019). Many of us can expect to be driving at night for several months and during the increased danger of our winter weather conditions. Please be careful out there!
