How to Drive Safe When it Gets Dark Earlier

As summer turns into fall and the temperatures drop, it will get dark earlier in the day. This can affect your daily commute, often requiring you to navigate your drive to and from work in the dark. The darker days and colder weather can present some challenges, increasing the risk involved with driving. Learn how to improve your safety and adjust to the transition. Follow these tips to stay safe on the road:

Avoid Fatigued Driving

We have conditioned our bodies to get tired when it gets dark. This can confuse our minds for a few months as we adjust to the earlier night hours. It can lead to fatigued driving, which can be dangerous. Do your best to avoid fatigued driving by getting enough sleep at night. If you have a long commute, consider giving yourself enough time to pull over and take a break when needed. You might also make a caffeinated drink a part of your morning routine.

Avoid Drinking and Driving

It might be tempting to stop in and grab a few drinks with friends or family after work, but this can make you even more tired. Consider swapping out an alcoholic beverage for a soft drink instead in the evenings, at least until you have made it home. If you didn’t get much sleep the night before, consider skipping a drink when out at dinner.

Prepare Your Vehicle

Winter brings with it a lot of dark driving, whether it’s a late-night drive home from the office or cloudy, wintery weather. Prepare your vehicle ahead of time by cleaning the headlights and checking the windshield wipers. You might also drop your vehicle off from preventative maintenance to ensure everything’s working.

Don’t Speed

Speeding can quickly increase the risk involved with nighttime or winter driving conditions. It makes it more difficult to react quickly, which can be especially troubling when your visibility may be reduced. Always go the speed limit, even when it seems like the road is safe and clear otherwise.

With days that are longer and darker, it may be beneficial to also put an emergency kit in your trunk so that you’re prepared. If you do break down, you’ll have the resources you need to ensure you’re seen on the road by other drivers. Include items like a flashlight, flares, an emergency first aid kit, and an extra battery.

Know What to Do Following a Fall or Winter Accident

While you can take precautions to increase your safety on the road, you can’t always prevent all accidents from occurring. It’s also important to know what to do if you’re involved in an accident this fall or winter. As with any accident, it’s important to notify the police and contact your insurance company as soon as possible.

Always receive medical care following a car accident and check on the wellbeing of others involved in the accident too. If it’s dark outside, move the vehicle and any passengers to a safe location. This can prevent more accidents from occurring since it may be difficult for other drivers on the road to notice the stopped vehicles. If you believe that another driver is responsible for your accident, due to drinking and driving, you may have legal options available that you can discuss with a personal injury lawyer.

Contact a Hudson County Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in New Jersey

Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in New Jersey? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Birkhold & Maider, LLC represent clients injured because of a car accident in Hudson County, Union County, Essex County, Mercer County, and throughout New Jersey. Call (973) 947-4670 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 189 Franklin Avenue, Suite 1 Nutley, NJ 07110, as well as a satellite office in Hamilton, NJ.

The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.