Charlotte Rear-End Crash Risk at Night vs. Day
More than a fifth of all motor vehicle accidents in the United States are classified as rear-end collisions.
Although this is already a substantial figure, the U.S. Department of Transportation indicates an additional two million rear-end accidents likely occur annually that are never reported to police. Rear-end accidents are cited in five percent of motor vehicle accident deaths according to the DOT.
In Charlotte, Concord, Fort Mill, Indian Trail and surrounding areas, drivers are at risk of getting injured or killed in these many collisions.
A rear-end accident lawyer can provide assistance to motorists after a crash. Drivers also need to understand the dangers of rear-end accidents and try to make smart choices to avoid getting hurt. The University of Iowa has conducted a comprehensive review of rear-end collision risks in order to determine if nighttime or daytime is the highest risk time for motorists to become involved in this type of crash.
Risk of Rear-End Accidents: Night vs. Day
During daylight hours, there is actually greater chance of rear-end collisions. Many of the accidents happen on straight roads and there is no legitimate reason why the driver struck the vehicle in the front car. In other words, weather is not a factor and nor are faulty brakes or other things beyond a motorist’s control.
Instead the two biggest reasons for so many rear-end accidents during the day is drivers are distracted or are tailgating (following the car ahead too closely).
At night, however, there is a greater relative risk of a fatal rear-end accident. Once it is dark, a motorist is twice as likely to be involved in a deadly rear-end crash.
Why is there a greater relative risk of death when involved in a rear-end collision at night as compared with during the day? Part of it has to do with the reason why more crashes happen in the daytime overall.
More crashes happen during the day not because there is a greater likelihood of distraction, but instead because there is a higher volume of drivers on the road at that time. There needs to be a car on the road for a driver to hit. There is more likely to be a vehicle at an intersection or in the road when a distracted driver comes along during the day, as compared to at night when the traffic volume will be lower.
At night, there are fewer cars on the road so there is less overall chance of getting into a rear-end crash. However, there is a higher death risk. The researchers believe that this may have actually one unnoticed because the overall volume of roadways encounters is so much lower at night than during the day and thus the accident data makes it appear as if daytime was the more dangerous time.
Drivers should be careful no matter what time of the day it is, and should ensure they avoid doing anything that could increase their chances of causing a rear-end crash.
The Charlotte personal injury attorneys at Hull & Chandler, PA represent accident victims across North Carolina in Charlotte, Concord, Fort Mill, Indian Trail and surrounding areas. Contact us today at 866-607-3620 for a free case consultation.