Risk of fatal accident five times greater after dark, says research

The risk of a fatal accident is five times greater after darkness has fallen, according to new research.

The heightened risk – found between 7pm and 7am – is said to be down to poor visibility, headlight dazzle and driver fatigue.

The rate of fatal accidents at night came close to 40 per cent in 2019, despite journeys in the dark accounting for just a fifth of all trips in the UK.

DS Automobiles analysed the rate of fatal accidents in 2019 against Department for Transport flow index data to calculate the risk of a fatal accident when compared against hourly traffic volumes in the UK.

During winter months, drivers have to deal with poorer weather conditions as well as limited visibility. Night blindness – known as nyctalopia – is another factor. It’s a condition which means a person’s eyes are unable to properly adapt to low-light situations, making it difficult to see in the darkness.

The French manufacturer is showcasing the danger of driving at night as well as highlighting its latest innovative light technologies. DS Night Vision systems use an infrared camera positioned in the grille which can help to clearly illuminate obstacles and display them on a screen located in the digital instrument panel in front of the driver.