In 1994, there were more than 2 million nighttime collisions in the United States, more than 18,000 of them were fatal.
Inexperienced drivers fare especially poorly at night.
More than half of all motor vehicle deaths involving teenagers occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Pedestrian deaths also are highest during those hours. With their headlights on, drivers usually can see a small portion of the road ahead of them. However, their peripheral vision isn't as sharp. In addition, darkness makes it more difficult to gauge distances and movement. And the headlights of other cars can create a blinding glare.