Risk of Night vs. Day in Fort Worth Rear-End Crashes
Rear-end collisions are always a potential danger to drivers in Dallas, Arlington, and Fort Worth, TX. Drivers need to understand the risk, make informed choices and do everything that they can to avoid becoming involved in a crash.
Recently, researchers from the University of Iowa took an in-depth look at some of the data on when and why rear-end accidents happen. They came to some surprising conclusions of which motorists need to be aware.
A rear-end accident lawyer knows every driver must drive defensively and cautiously to avoid a crash. Understanding the risks is one necessary step toward mitigating the chances of an accident.
Risks of Rear-End Accidents During the Day and at Night
The majority of rear-end crashes happen during the day. Many accidents happen on clear, straight roads with no visibility issues. The two most common causes of these accidents are distraction among drivers and drivers who are following too closely to the vehicle that is in front of their own. A total of 93 percent of all rear-end crashes result from these two factors.
Within the U.S., one third of car crashes that happen annually are rear-end accidents. In total, rear-end crashes cause about 30 percent of injuries in motor vehicle collisions as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This means millions of people each year are hurt, experience property damage or lose loved ones as a result of rear-end accidents. And the worst part is these crashes could almost certainly be prevented if drivers paid closer attention and left more space.
Although daytime rear-end accidents are more likely, the Iowa research indicates that the relative risk of a fatal rear end accident is actually greater at night. In fact, there is twice the chance of a motorist dying in a rear-end accident after dark as compared with during the day.
The significant danger of nighttime rear-end crashes has been largely overlooked because of the higher volume of day crashes. More accidents happen in the day not necessarily because driver are less careful when it is light out but instead because there is simply a higher volume of traffic on the road.
When a driver is distracted during the day, there is a greater chance that there will be another car on the road. Just by sheer numbers, that increases the likelihood of a collision.
At night, there is a reduced chance of another car on the road to hit, so a distracted drivers are less likely to encounter other vehicles. However, when rear-end accidents do happen at night, they are more likely to be serious and cause serious or fatal injuries.
Drivers need to be careful, pay attention and take steps to try to reduce the chances of being in a rear-end crash no matter what time of day they are on the road.
If you or a loved one has been injured contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. at 800-994-1966. Serving Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, TX and surrounding areas.Â
