Posted In Health Tips on November 14, 2023
The fall season means less daylight, changing weather conditions and other factors that can increase driving safety issues that can result in property damage or personal injury. Fall driving means being prepared for the unexpected, avoiding distracted driving, allowing more travel time for clearing windshields, slowing down in fog or slippery conditions, leaving more distance from other vehicles, and watching out for others.
Less daylight & night driving
With the end of Daylight Savings Time, it is getting darker earlier. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), most fatal accidents involving children take place between 3 and 9 pm, a time when school children are traveling home or to/from extracurricular activities, and commuters are getting out of work, and visibility is becoming poorer as dusk turns to darkness.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC):
- The risk of a fatal crash is three times greater at night.
- Depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision can be compromised in the dark.
- Lower light also affects a driver’s ability to judge speed and distance.
- The glare of headlights from an oncoming vehicle can temporarily blind a driver.
As it starts getting dark, remember to:
- Drive slower.
- Increase the distance from vehicles ahead of you.
- Be on the lookout for pedestrians who will be harder to see, especially if they are wearing dark clothing.
- Turn on your headlights at dusk so other drivers and pedestrians are aware of your vehicle.
- If oncoming headlights are blinding you, momentarily look down at the road lines so you are not looking directly at the headlights.
- Keep your windshield clear of dirt streaks as these can increase glare.
Deer collisions
Deer are more active from dusk until sunrise especially in the fall due to mating and migration season. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says we are 3.5 times as likely to hit an animal, especially a deer, in November, as at any other time of year. PETA says about 1 of every 100 drivers will hit a deer during their lifetime. In the evenings, remember to:
- Be especially careful near fields and woods.
- Slow down if you spot a deer and expect it to bolt across the road.
- Anticipate other deer will follow it since deer tend to travel in groups.
Fog
With and cooler fall temperatures at night and warmer temperatures during the day, fog can form in the morning and be unexpectedly dense in areas. Fog can reduce your driving vision, depth perception, and your stopping distance, so remember these tips:
- Only use low beams in fog and use fog lights if your vehicle has them.
- With reduced visibility, use side and center road markings to stay on the road in your lane.
- Slow down and increase the distance from the vehicle in front of you.
- If the fog gets too thick, find a safe place to pull off the road and wait for the fog to lift.
Frost
When overnight temperatures fall, the roads may be frosted over and slippery in the morning, increasing the risk of an accident. With falling temperatures, wet spots on roads can turn to black ice, which may just look wet but can cause you to skid or lose control of your vehicle. Be aware that bridges, overpasses, and shaded roads freeze first or may have frost and will act like driving on ice.
Be sure to clear all frost off your vehicle’s windshield, rear window, side windows, and mirrors before driving to allow the maximum visibility of other vehicles, pedestrians, and road hazards.
Leaves
- Wet leaves can act like ice on the highway since they reduce tire traction.
- Leaves can appear dry but can be wet underneath and also cause you to lose traction.
- Leaves can also block storm drains and cause ponding which can cause a loss of steering control if you hit it going too fast and hydroplane.
- Wet leaves can reduce visibility if not removed from the windshield before driving.
- Leaves accumulated in the air vents near the wipers can reduce your vehicle’s ability to clear condensation on the inside of the windshield.
- Leaves can cover traffic lines, potholes, and curbs, thus reducing your ability to stay in the correct lane, especially at intersections, or properly parking near curbs.
- Don’t park your vehicle over a pile of dry leaves as the exhaust system or catalytic converter could start a fire.
Sun glare
The sun can be a major safety issue in the fall as both sunrise and sunset occur during the hours of heaviest commuting traffic. Because the sun angle is lower in the fall, the first half hour after sunrise and before sunset is prone to sun glare. This can make it harder to see traffic lights, stop signs, other traffic, pedestrians, joggers, and bicyclists. Things that might help include:
- Using your sun visor
- Wearing sunglasses
- Having a clean windshield inside and outside
- Avoiding east/west roads at times of sunrise/sunset