As the leaves begin to fall from the trees it’s wise to remember how the changing seasons affect road safety.
The fall and winter bring shorter days and longer nights, meaning your journeys are more likely to take place (at least partly) in the dark. Here is what that means for you:
Reduced visibility
Darkness makes it harder to see and harder to be seen. It’s crucial to check your lights regularly and to use them. Remember, you should switch them on well before it becomes dark, and there are definite advantages to using them even in full daylight.
Increased chance of poor weather
Rain and snow can not only reduce visibility as they fall. They can also reduce traction on the roads they fall on.
Falling leaves
While the leaves falling from the trees allow more light to filter through the branches and illuminate the roads, those same leaves can accumulate, rot down and cause slippery patches that drivers could skid on.
Lower sunsets
The sun traces a lower angle through the sky in winter, meaning that the sunrise and sunset can become more distracting to drivers heading into them.
In most of the above cases, slowing down when seasonal changes are affecting driving can vastly increase safety. It gives you more time to react to problems caused by the effect of poor visibility or loss of traction on you or another driver. It also reduces the chance you end up with a problem in the first place.
Many drivers won’t take sufficient care, and if they injure you, you will need to learn how to hold them responsible.