Driving at night poses many hazards to you and other drivers. The lack of light limits vision, and a number of other factors could put you at risk of an accident whether those factors directly affect you, your vehicle or another driver.
Because you want to remain safe any time you are on the road, you know that you need to adjust the way in which you drive at night from how you drive during daylight hours. Of course, you may not have thought of every way in which nighttime driving could affect you or the way you drive.
Examples of nighttime driving hazards
Some of the hazards of driving at night can also apply during the day, but it is wise to remain more conscious of these hazards after dark because they can become even more threatening to your safety and to the safety of others. Some hazards to account for include the following:
- Drowsiness: Most people’s sleeping schedule has them going to bed at night. As a result, after the sun goes down, drowsiness can kick in, and accidents due to drowsy driving become more prevalent.
- Two-lane highways: Though you may think traveling two-lane roads is safer due to less traffic, these roads pose more hazards at night because they typically have less lighting, more curves and hills, and increased glare from oncoming headlights.
- Speeding: Speeding is certainly a hazard any time of the day, but when you couple speeding with limited visibility, accidents are even more likely.
- Windshield issues: If your windshield is damaged or dirty, the effects of glare could become more prominent. As a result, you may not have maximum visibility.
- Wildlife: Many animals become more active at night, and if you are on the road, especially in less populated areas, you need to watch out for animals darting into the street.
Doing your part to stay safe while driving at night can help reduce accidents. Unfortunately, other drivers may not be so keen on driving safety, and as a result, issues with their driving or their vehicles could result in a car crash that causes you injury. If so, you may have reason to pursue a legal claim in efforts to seek compensation for damages permitted under Hawaii personal injury law.
