Drowsy-driving crashes are most likely to happen between midnight and 6 a.m., says NHTSA. So be aware during these hours that there may be sleepy drivers on the road—and keep yourself alert. Have some caffeine, pull over in a safe area to get some rest, or stop for the night.
The most dangerous time to drive during the day is during the evening rush hour. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that this is when most fatal accidents occur. The second most dangerous time is between midnight and four a.m. This is when drunk drivers are most likely to be on the road.
The Safest Times to Drive
Generally, the deadliest times to drive are between midnight and 4 AM because there tends to be an increase in impaired drivers.
So, be aware of this and plan accordingly. First of all, still leave as early as possible. Getting on the road after five o'clock rush hour traffic clears up is generally a good time to start. For many people, starting while it is still light then settling into sunset and dark helps the body, mind and eyes adjust.
Shorter days, fatigue, compromised night vision, rush hour and impaired drivers are some of the risks we face when driving at night. These risks become especially pronounced moving into the weekend, with fatal crashes peaking on Saturday nights, according to NSC analysis of NHTSA data.
Avoid having a fixed gaze and never stare at oncoming headlights when driving at night. Shift your eyes down and to the right and use the right edge of the road or lane markings as a guide. Once the vehicle has passed, lift your gaze back up.
Two-thirds of all motor vehicle fatalities between the hours of midnight and 3 a.m. occurred in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes, and more than half (55%) of drivers involved in fatal crashes at those hours, were alcohol-impaired.
The NHTSA recommends avoiding driving between the hours of midnight and 6 AM or the late afternoon. If you need to drive during these hours, schedule frequent, short stops to keep yourself alert. To keep yourself safe, use your headlights so you can see and be seen.
The best time to leave to avoid traffic on a long drive is early in the morning before 6 am. When traveling by car you should aim to avoid rush hour congestion by aiming to start your road trip first thing in the morning.
Higher chance of accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, you are three times more likely to get into an accident driving at night than driving during the day. They recommend you should avoid driving at night when you can.
Increased Risk
Drivers are at a much higher risk of being involved in a car crash at night than during the day. Roughly 50% of all car crashes occur between the hours of 11 PM and 5 AM. Put another way, 50% of the crashes occur during about 25% of the day.
– Time with the most fatal crashes: 6 p.m. to 8:59 p.m.
The best time of day to start a road trip and travel by car is early in the morning, before rush hour. You should plan to leave around 6:00 AM if you're only driving a short distance and even earlier for long trips. Starting in the mornings is safer due to less traffic and fewer accidents.
Rush hour traffic, typically, lasts a few hours, peaking in the morning from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and in the evening from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. or later in larger cities.
On a road with one lane in each direction, going 10-mph is legal, but can impede the flow of traffic. If it's safe to do so, drive closer to the max speed limit. If you're driving so slow that a line of more than five cars has queued behind you, it's best to pull over to the shoulder and allow the drivers to pass you.
You May Have Night Blindness Or Poor Vision At Night If…
Stumble or bump into things more often than you used to. Have a harder or longer time adjusting your eyes/vision when you move from a lit to a dark space. Streetlights, headlights, and reflective markers are big, haloed blurs. Shy away from driving after sunset.
Typically, it is considered to be driving at night between an hour after sunset to an hour before sunrise. It's harder to drive at night than it is during the day. Night driving presents its own particular challenges: Glare caused by headlights.
By about age 60, the human eye requires three times more light to see than at age 20. This normal decline in vision makes driving at dusk and in dark conditions more challenging for seniors. For some drivers, the effect could be as severe as wearing sunglasses while driving at night.
Age. Young people are the most at-risk for drunk driving. NHTSA data shows that drivers between the ages of 21-24 account for 27% of all fatal alcohol-impaired crashes, followed closely by 25-34 year olds (25%). However, the implementation of minimum-drinking-age laws has been shown to save over 30,000 lives.
The day before Thanksgiving—known as Blackout Wednesday—is the biggest drinking day of the year in many areas of the United States.
Research at County Harbor UCLA Medical Center supports this theory. They recorded fatality rates between 2004 and 2008. They found that 1% of drunk patients died of their injuries while 7% of sober patients died from theirs. The study established that, on the whole, intoxicated patients had a 65% chance of survival.
It's not just paranoia: Driving at night is actually more dangerous. Fatal accidents are three times more likely at night compared with the daytime, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Driving at night in Australia is not recommended due to long distances, lack of lighting, drink drivers and kamikaze kangaroos. Australia is enormous, and distances between key attractions can be huge.