Drivers in South Carolina at Greater Risk of Crashes Because of Fewer Hours of Daylight
HORRY COUNTY, SC- Wmbfnews.com writes that about 45 percent of vehicle collisions occur after dark. This is true even though there are fewer vehicles on the road at night. Low visibility is a major concern for drivers.*
In South Carolina in December, the sun is only up for about ten hours. By about four p.m., the sun is going down. The result of the early sunset is that more people are on the road after dark. According to a local driving instructor, drivers can reduce their risk of being involved in a crash by ensuring there is enough space between their vehicle and the car in front of them. Other advice includes keeping headlights clean and avoiding the use of phones or bright screens when driving as these impact a driver’s ability to see the road outside of the vehicle.
This year alone, 920 people died in car crashes in South Carolina.
Driving at night is problematic in part because of the human eye, which struggles to function at night. At night a person's ability to perceive depth and colors is reduced, and peripheral vision is diminished as well. It is important for drivers to have their vision checked in addition to their vehicles.
Other steps that a driver may take include using headlight restoration kits, which can properly clean headlights. Headlights that are clouded can cut the amount of light produced by around 40 percent. It is important to remember to turn headlights on when it is dim out, even if it is not completely dark yet. Driver visibility is impaired more around twilight than most people realize.
It is also possible to upgrade headlight bulbs and improve lighting. Within about two or three years, headlights will lose about 30 percent of their lighting ability. New bulbs can make a big difference.
Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes. To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.
Sources:https://www.wmbfnews.com/2019/12/10/shorter-days-increase-dangers-drivers-along-south-carolina-roads/ and https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/g106/10-safety-tips-for-driving-after-dark/ and https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/3-ways-to-improve-headlights-for-safer-nighttime-driving-300376926.html