Navigating New York roadways can be challenging, especially in heavy traffic. There are also certain times of day when drivers might experience an increased risk for personal injury, such as on their way to or from work or when driving at night. The latter poses many dangers that increase the likelihood of collision.
Many drivers are tired at night
Driving late at night or in the wee hours of the morning means that there could be numerous people sharing the road who are feeling fatigued behind the wheel. This, of course, can also happen in the middle of the day, but it is more likely to occur at night. A National Sleep Foundation poll concluded that more than 100 million people who took the survey said they had fallen asleep at the wheel at one time or another. Many fatigue-related collisions occur at night.
Visibility decreases when driving in the dark
Even if a driver is using high beams, nighttime visibility may be limited to approximately 500 feet and less than half of that if high beams are not engaged. If a driver looks into oncoming light beams, he or she may suffer temporary vision impairment, which can have disastrous results. It is always best to look away from oncoming headlights at night. Age of a driver may also be a factor regarding reduced vision capabilities at night; drivers who are age 50 and older typically cannot see as well at night as someone in their 30s or younger.
If a nighttime excursion results in a collision that causes personal injury
Driver negligence is often a causal factor in New York motor vehicle collisions, especially at night. If a person suffers injuries because of another driver’s actions, he or she may seek financial recovery by filing a legal claim in a civil court for damages. Evidence is a key to successful litigation because the plaintiff in such a case is tasked with proving that the defendant was negligent and that this negligence directly caused damages.