According to the National Safety Council, traffic fatality rates are three times higher at night than during the day. Even still, many Tennessee motorists are unaware of the specific hazards of driving at night or do not know how to effectively deal with these dangers.
Ninety percent of a drivers reaction depends on vision. Since visibility is severely limited at night, it stands to reason that driving at night is dangerous. After sundown, depth perception, color recognition and peripheral vision are all compromised.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an accident that occurred at night due to the actions or negligence of another person or entity, you may be entitled to pursue compensation for your losses by filing an auto accident lawsuit. You may be able to recover compensation for current and future medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages related to the crash.
To begin exploring your legal options, contact our auto accident attorneys today by completing the Free Case Review form to the right.
Causes of Nighttime Accidents
There are many factors that could contribute to a nighttime accident. Older drivers have greater difficulties seeing in the dark. For example, a 50-year-old driver may need twice as much light to see as well as a 30-year-old motorist.
Additionally, fatigue is a common danger associated with accidents that occur at night. Drowsy driving is one of the leading causes of car accidents across the country.
Drivers who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol occur in greater prevalence at night as opposed to during the day. Weekend nights are especially dangerous. More fatal crashes occur on weekend nights than at any other time during the week.
Tips for Driving at Night
There are several steps you can take to minimize after-dark dangers. The National Safety Council recommends that Tennessee drivers use the following tips when driving at night:
- Prepare your car. Keep headlights, tail lights, signal lights and windows clean.
- Make sure your headlights are properly aimed. Mis-aimed headlights can blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
- Never drink and drive.
- Avoid smoking behind the wheel. Nicotine and carbon monoxide can hamper night vision.
- If there is any doubt, turn your headlights on. Not only will lights help you see better, it allows your car to be seen by others. Being seen is just as important as being able to see.
- Reduce your speed and increase following distances. It is more difficult to judge the speeds of other cars and distances at night.
- When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on low beams so you do not blind the driver in front of you.
- If an oncoming vehicle fails to lower beams from high to low, avoid glare by watching the right edge of the road and using it as a steering guide.
- Make frequent stops. If you are too tired to drive, stop and rest.
- If you have car trouble, pull as far off the road as possible. Turn on hazards as well as the dome light. If possible, set up reflecting triangles near your car and 300 feet behind it. Stay off the roadway.
It is important that you start observing night driving safety as soon as the sun goes down. Twilight is one of the most dangerous and difficult times to drive since your eyes are constantly changing to adapt to the growing darkness.
Contact an Experienced Knoxville Auto Accident Lawyer Today
At Greg Coleman Law, we offer free legal consultations to Knoxville accident victims. During your consultation, a member of our team of legal professionals will review the circumstances surrounding your claim and recommend the best course of legal action to pursue.
To ensure that our clients are able to afford proper representation in their pursuit for justice, our personal injury law firm operates on a contingency fee basis. This means that if you choose to hire our lawyers, there is never any cost to you until we are able to successfully obtain a favorable outcome for your claim. If we fail to do this, you do not owe us any fees.
For more information on the legal rights which may be available to Tennessee red light accident victims and their families or to schedule a confidential, no-obligation case evaluation with one of our attorneys, contact Greg Coleman Law today by completing the Free Case Review form on this page.
