While the demands and stress placed on a Security Driver, or any other practitioner who happens to find them self behind the wheel, are significant, it is the responsibility of the driver to understand the risks associated with vehicle movements and take the precautions necessary to mitigate or manage those risks, regardless of when they may present themselves.
In many instances, driving at night is not out of the ordinary and in some cases, depending upon the Principal’s schedule, preferences or proclivities, is the norm. And while fatigue is always a concern when it comes to driving at night, there are other risks that the driver must consider and account for. In fact, while a combination of safety and security risks tends to make vehicle movements the highest risk endeavor a Principal and his or her protectors will engage in on any given day, movements which take place at night may present even greater risks than those which take place during daylight hours.
From a safety standpoint, data from the National Safety Council shows that while traffic volume is about half that of daytime volume, more than 60% all traffic deaths nationwide occur at night. The data from one recent year shows there were approximately 50,000 crash induced motor vehicle deaths in the U.S. 19,000 of which occurred during daylight hours, while 31,000 occurred during nighttime hours.
A number of other studies show that the root cause of approximately 50% of all nighttime traffic deaths is poor visibility. It is this same factor that very well may increase the security risks associated with driving the Principal at night. While it is a given that the Principal and their vehicle are more visible, and therefore more recognizable, during daylight hours decreased visibility at night tends to work to the attackers advantage. This is particularly true if, as is often the case, the Principal’s schedule and movements are predictable. Factors that can lead to predictability include leaving a publicized event at a time which is easily “guesstimated”, insisting the driver’s always use a particular route, going to the same restaurants or entertainment venues and, of course, typically heading home at a certain time. If the Principal is predictable, they are certainly a more attractive target. and if their vehicle movements at night are predictable, the decreased visibility during hours of darkness works against them (and those who protect them) and in favor of the attacker.
Those professional practitioners who, for whatever reason, find themselves driving at night, might find this infographic worth reading.
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