- Massachusetts Department of Transportation
As we enter the depths of winter, the days grow shorter, leading many of us to commute to work in the early morning darkness and to return home in the evening dusk.
December has the shortest days of the year, which poses an increased chance of drowsy driving, vision impairment due to low light, and oncoming headlight glare. These risks can increase chances of traffic incidents and unsafe driving conditions.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly half of all fatal car accidents happen at night, despite only 25% of driving occurring after dark.
Low light can affect depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision, all of which are essential for driving. This poses eyesight challenges, especially for older drivers on the road. Headlight glare is the effect of other drivers’ headlights coming at you, and it can cause one to slow down drastically or to take their eyes off the road momentarily. Sleepy driving is another risk, which affects your overall driving performance.
To prevent being affected by these risks, consider these tips:
- Keep your windshields and headlights clean for optimal visibility.
- Look to the center line, not away, if oncoming bright headlights affect your view.
- Slow down to give yourself more time to act and react to others driving.
- Use your high beams if there’s no oncoming traffic. They will illuminate the road surface more thoroughly than your normal headlights.
- Minimize the light in your car. It will make it easier to see in the dark if your screens, GPS navigators, and other devices' lights are reduced.
- Get enough rest to ensure that you are focused and attentive on your drive.
- If needed, wear and keep updated your prescriptive glasses.
- Plan your route to unfamiliar places in advance to avoid distractions.
- Never drive while impaired, including when too tired to safely drive.
Staying safe on the road is the responsibility of all drivers. Stay alert at night and stay safe.
The MAPFRE Insurance-sponsored MassDOT Highway Assistance Program is on patrol to help all motorists, including motorcyclists, on the highways. Patrol operators monitor some of the state’s busiest highways around Metro Boston, Worcester, Springfield, and Cape Cod (seasonal). The Highway Assistance Patrol covers 13 major state roadways and interstates; the Emergency Service Patrol covers the Mass Pike (I-90) from New York to Boston, and the Incident Response Operators cover the Metropolitan Highway System and tunnels. The Highway Assistance Patrol is in service Monday–Friday between 6 a.m.–10 a.m. and 3 p.m.–7 p.m. During holidays, there are extended routes in heavy-traffic areas. On I-90, and in Boston’s tunnel system, assistance is provided 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
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