You have probably heard that night driving is dangerous. Most people were told about this when they were in driver’s ed. In fact, you were probably told that you had to do so many hours of practice at night before you could get your license.
But why is it that night driving is said to be so dangerous? Are there any statistics that back this up?
Half of all accidents happen at night
Statistics do vary from year to year, but some studies have found that roughly half of all car accidents occur at night. These crashes have many different causes, such as a lack of visibility or drunk driving.
You may be tempted to think that night driving is just as dangerous as driving during the day, seeing as how half of all accidents happen in both cases. But the difference is in the level of traffic on the roads. Because traffic levels are so low at night, you have half of all accidents occurring at a time when a much smaller percentage of driving is taking place.
When you look at the ratios, they show that driving at night is much more dangerous and creates serious accidents at a higher rate. You are roughly three times as likely to be involved in a fatal accident after dark, for instance. This is a risk that you have to take into account when you get into the car.
You may not be able to pick and choose when you drive, and so night driving may be inevitable. If you get injured by another driver in an accident, or if you lose a loved one in a crash, then you need to look into your legal options.