Montlick & Associates Reviews Reasons for Increased Risk of DeKalb County Car Accidents at Night

Although most people are aware that certain forms of conduct, such as text messaging, speeding and intoxicated driving increase the risk of suffering severe injury in a DeKalb County car accident, the impact of driving at night may be overlooked as a car crash risk factor. The reality is that it generally is far more hazardous to drive at night for a variety of reasons related to both the way nighttime driving impacts an accident victim, as well as its impact on other drivers. Our experienced DeKalb County Car Accident Attorneys at Montlick and Associates recognize the increased risk associated with driving at night because we have been representing those injured in motor vehicle crashes since 1984.

While drivers are well advised to drive cautiously and pay attention to the road at all times, a unique combination of risk factors elevates the importance of driving carefully at night. We have provided an overview of these factors below:

Higher Rate of DUI: Drunk drivers continue to be the leading cause of traffic-related fatalities. Drivers who are intoxicated are involved in approximately 10,000 traffic fatalities, which amounts to a third of all motor vehicle fatalities. Because more people tend to drink at parties, sporting events, restaurants, bars and other gatherings, the number of drunk drivers on the road at night is higher than during daytime hours during the week when many people are at work or school. Motorists are five times more likely to be involved in a collision involving a drunk driver at night according to State University of New York Sociology Professor David J. Hanson.

Drowsy Drivers: An increasing number of car accidents are caused by sleep deprived drivers who doze off behind the wheel or lose mental focus while operating a motor vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that drowsy driving causes about 100,000 crashes annually that result in 40,000 injuries and close to 1,600 fatalities. Further, many experts believe that the official data significantly underestimates the problem because many law enforcement officers list other factors that are easier to identify like failure to stop at a traffic light rather than drowsiness as the cause of a crash. Because the majority of people sleep at night, this tends to be the time that drivers are most likely to doze off when driving. Further, drowsiness is enhanced at night by our internal clock that responds to sunlight and darkness according to Dr. Vipin Garg.

Lack of Light: When driving at night, driver visibility is limited by darkness. A study reported in the journal Injury Prevention found that low luminance after the sun sets is a major factor in the increased risk of nighttime car accidents. The researchers found that drivers take longer to process information which can significantly increase stopping distance. Drivers needed less distance to stop safely on brightly lit roads than on non-lit roads according to the researchers. The study also found that motorists have difficulty in using their vision to distinguish contrasts in poor lighting conditions which also contributes to crashes at night.

Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Experience to Work For You

If you or someone close to you suffers injury or a loved one dies in a car crash at night, our Atlanta auto accident attorneys at Montlick and Associates are available to provide effective legal representation to those throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.