When nighttime rolls around in Southwest Florida, it’s easy for us to fall victim to fatigue, roaming animals and limited visibility, which can be fatal. Even though there are fewer drivers occupying the roads after dark, vehicle death rates at night are three times higher than during the day, according to the National Safety Council.
Why is operating a motor vehicle at night so much more of a risk?
Reduced vision is a big part of the problem. Depth perception, peripheral vision and color recognition decline at night because the eyes have decreased ability to filter light to create clear images of potential hazards.
Fortunately, there are steps you and your family can take to drive safely at night:
- Wipe the interior of the windshield to help remove glare
- For visibility, keep your vehicle’s headlights on one hour before dusk and one hour after dawn
- To prevent blinding oncoming traffic, make sure the headlights are properly aligned
- Never drink and drive
- When driving through fog, use low beams
- Keep a further-than-normal distance from the cars in front of you
- Use low beams when driving behind someone
- Avoid glare from oncoming traffic by focusing eyes to the right edge of the road
- Eye fatigue and weariness cause accidents. Take moments to pull over, walk around or catch a snooze
- Drive at a reduced speed. Most animals travel in groups, so if you see one, there might be another one behind it getting ready to run in the road
- Get your eyes checked by an optometrist. Once every three years for drivers under 40; once every two years for 41 to 60 year-old drivers; and once a year for drivers 60 years and older. Anti-reflective lenses may be recommended to help you see better at night if you are having trouble
The law experts at Parvey & Cavenago aim to reduce tragic accidents on the roadways. Take extra precautions and stay safe. If you have been injured by someone driving recklessly day or night, contact us today for a free consultation and we will discuss the best action to take to recover compensation for damages and injuries.