Nighttime driving has several advantages. You can avoid the heat, avoid the sun in your eyes and get places faster as there is less traffic on the roads.
Yet, driving at night also implies additional risks compared to driving during the day. Whether you drive at night by choice or by necessity, it is crucial to be aware of these night-specific dangers.
Watch out for these 4 dangers when driving at night
Darkness makes driving more difficult for you and everyone else on the road. Here are some of the reasons why:
- Objects stand out less: When we see things, we see the light that they reflect toward us. When there is no light falling upon them, there is nothing to reflect. Pure darkness is rare, so there is usually a little light, either from your headlight, streetlights or the moon. However, it is considerably less than the light the sun provides during the day.
- Eyes do not work as well: Less light reaches your eyes at night, making it harder to see and adjust your focus. It becomes more of an issue with age, with older people needing more light than younger people to see the same object.
- Drivers can be drowsy: The natural rhythm for humans is to rise with the sun and sleep when it goes down. While electric lighting allows you to divert from this, your body is still inclined to sleep at night.
- Drunk drivers: You are more likely to encounter a drunk driver at 11 p.m than 11 a.m.
You may be confident of your ability to drive in safety at night. Yet another driver may be less able. They could leave you with severe injuries if they crash into you.