Even after the sun sets in Indiana, thousands of vehicles fill the roadways. People continue to travel, completing errands, coming home from work or rushing out to meet with friends. Although the roadways may appear to be the same at night as during the day, they are not. The risk for getting killed in a motor vehicle accident is significantly higher after the sun goes down. In fact, people are three times more likely to die in a car accident at night than they are during the day. This may be due to a number of factors that make it more difficult for people to navigate the roadways at night.
One of the most common reasons for the increased risk for nighttime fatalities is decreased vision from a lack of natural light. Despite bright headlights and streetlights, the void of natural light can lead to slower response times and the inability to see certain hazards, such as pedestrians, stop signs and objects in the road. Bright headlights can actually cause issues, as they may result in temporary blindness when drivers look directly in them. Elderly drivers and/or people who have eye conditions are in even greater danger of decreased nighttime vision. In some cases, people may have a hard time judging the distance and speed of oncoming vehicles when driving at night.
Other factors that may lead to dangers at night include an increased number of drunk drivers on the road, as well as distracted drivers. People should remain extremely cautious and avoid driving at night if possible.
This information is intended to educate and should not be taken as legal advice.