Why Afternoon Is Riskier Than Night
A Behavioral Risk Analysis | North Cyprus
At first glance, night driving feels more dangerous.
Visibility is lower. Headlights glare. Fatigue sets in.
Yet claim data and field observations from CAN Sigorta consistently point to a counter-intuitive reality:
In many urban and semi-urban areas of North Cyprus, afternoon hours generate more frequent claims than late night driving.
This is not a lighting problem.
It is a human behavior problem.
The Afternoon Risk Window
The most critical time band is typically:
15:30 – 18:30
This period combines multiple risk multipliers that do not exist at night.
1. Cognitive Fatigue Peaks in the Afternoon
By mid-afternoon:
- Decision fatigue has already accumulated
- Reaction time subtly slows
- Drivers believe they are still “fully alert”
This is the most dangerous state:
low awareness with high confidence.
At night, drivers expect danger.
In the afternoon, they underestimate it.
2. Mixed Traffic Conditions
Afternoon traffic is heterogeneous:
- School runs
- Work exits
- Short “errand” trips
- Pedestrians, delivery vehicles, parked cars
Night traffic is simpler and more predictable.
In the afternoon:
You are not responding to speed,
you are responding to unpredictability.
3. The Illusion of Safety
Daylight creates a false sense of control.
Drivers subconsciously assume:
- “I can see everything”
- “Nothing sudden will happen”
- “This road is familiar”
This illusion reduces:
- Mirror checks
- Distance margins
- Anticipatory braking
Most low-speed collisions are born here.
4. Familiar Roads, Lower Attention
Afternoon driving is dominated by routine routes:
Familiarity reduces active scanning.
In contrast, night driving triggers caution precisely because it feels abnormal.