The roadways are more illuminated by car headlights throughout the winter due to the shorter days and gloomy skies. Seeing a car in the dusk without its headlights on is a stark reminder of how big of a difference it makes. After an hour, when it was completely dark outside, you couldn’t even see the car.
Headlight use is mandated by Georgia law per O.C.G.A. 40-8-20. According to the law, you must turn on your headlights “any time from a half-hour after nightfall to a half-hour before daybreak and at any time when it is raining in the driving zone.” Accidents are made more dangerous when drivers disobey this legislation by failing to keep their headlights on or in working order. Discuss your case with an Atlanta pedestrian accident attorney.
Here’s why it’s risky to drive at night without your headlights on.
As stated by the National Safety Council, many risks are associated with driving at night. For example, drivers may be sleepy, intoxicated, or have poor night vision. Nighttime has three times the danger of a deadly accident. Even if you take precautions like lowering the brightness of your dashboard, wearing anti-reflective lenses, and directing your own headlights appropriately, they won’t help you much if other motorists fail to do the same.
However, there is legal redress available in the event of an accident injury. Negligence, and the consequences that follow, include failing to utilise headlights when required to do so. However, not using your headlights is a clear-cut violation of a statute, unlike other situations of negligence like unsafe driving in severe weather. Due to the fact that the crash’s root cause (a lack of headlights) is already a violation of Georgia law, this constitutes “negligence per se,” a legal concept that is easier to show and debate.
Is it possible that more than one motorist was at fault?
Accidents involving motor vehicles are inherently complicated, with multiple parties potentially at fault. Possibly, you were following too closely and crashed into a car whose driver had forgotten to turn on their lights. Or maybe you’re hit from behind by a speeding car because you forgot to switch on your own lights. There is a higher likelihood that multiple people contributed to a pileup caused by bad weather. Consult a seasoned Macon automobile accident attorney for advice on your situation.
