The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that at night, fatal motor vehicle accidents are three times more likely to happen. Distracted driving also increases the likelihood of an accident. This means that at night, distracted driving in Florida is even more dangerous than it is during the daytime.
Types of distractions
Distractions may be visual, manual, cognitive or some combination of the three, and they are not limited to texting and driving, which is what many people think of. You would not close your eyes and drive, but some distractions are the equivalent of doing that. When you drive at night, you already have lower visibility. Taking your eyes away from the road to adjust your GPS, change the music or look down at something you are eating could be just enough distraction to cause you to drive off the road or into another car. You could also fail to see an animal or pedestrian stepping out into the road.
Dangerous nighttime behaviors
Furthermore, certain dangerous behaviors are more likely at night. For example, you might be more likely to be sleepy while you are driving. This could slow your reaction time, or you might fall asleep entirely. Drunk drivers are more common on the road at night as well, making it even more important that you remain alert.
The National Safety Council estimated that in 2018, distracted driving was a factor in more than 2,800 crashes. In addition, teen drivers have an even higher chance of being in motor vehicle accidents than adults. Smoking, dealing with pets in the car with you and even talking to passengers are all distracting behaviors. Not every distraction can be avoided, but you should make an effort to reduce them as much as you can to avoid a car accident and potential personal injury lawsuit.