September 22, 2026 | Makenzie Kellar

Every twig snapping under your feet is a reason to flinch, every barking dog a wild animal ready to lunge, and every stranger a lurking and uneasy presence. You know it’s irrational—that the world doesn’t suddenly turn against you when the sun sets. But when your eyes fail and all you can make out in the dark is the chill of your own breath, it’s hard not to imagine what could else be out there... 

Fear of the dark, also known as nyctophobia in extreme cases, is as common of a fear as they come. The source of this shared terror is often attributed to evolution, as wandering at night was an easy way for our ancient ancestors to wind up being a predator’s dinner. These days, with ample access to artificial lighting and no saber-toothed tigers in sight, this kind of fear is mostly experienced by children who tend to grow out of it. 

That being said, a lack of fear does not mean there’s a lack of danger; and the dark brings dangers aplenty. This article will discuss some of these risks—both the obvious and unexpected—and offer some tips on how to make sure your nightly excursions are as safe as possible. 

Visibility 

Human eyes contain two types of cells for sensing light: rods and cones. Cones allow you to make out different colors and function most effectively when they have decent access to light. When light isn’t available, your pupils (which filter how much light your eyes let in) make use of rods cells instead, which can only process images in black and white. It takes both your cells and pupils a few moments to adjust when the amount of light changes, and this is why it’s the most difficult to see immediately after lights are turned on or off.  

In low light settings, the lack of detail and color can make it easier to miss details you would have normally been able to make out. And missing a detail might mean hitting the wrong button on a piece of equipment, tripping over an obstruction on the ground, or getting lost because you couldn’t see a sign with the directions you needed.  

This isn’t just speculation either. A 2026 report from World Metrics examining nighttime vehicle accidents found that about 50% of fatal crashes occur at night despite the fact that only 25% of driving time occurred at night. They also noted that rural drivers were three times more likely to crash at night largely due to a lack of streetlights. 

To avoid these sorts of accidents, try to work when it’s light out whenever possible and pay attention to the time. Remember that during fall and winter, it may become dark sooner than expected, which can cause issues if you’re not prepared.  

If you know you’ll be working in the dark, try to bring a flashlight or a headlamp when you need to use both of your hands. In a pinch, most phones also have a flashlight feature that serves the same purpose. If you’ll be driving, make sure that both headlights are functional before the trip. For important or delicate tasks, give your eyes plenty of time to get used to sudden changes in light. It typically takes five to eight minutes for this to occur, but it can take up to 40 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust.  

Fatigue 

Fatigue is a risk that is often underestimated until it is too late. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), staying awake for 17 consecutive hours impairs a person as much as having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .05. After 24 consecutive hours awake, the impairment is equivalent to a BAC of .01. 

However, even if you’re not staying awake for that long, you may still suffer from the effects of fatigue, especially if you find yourself working at night. Humans are diurnal creatures, meaning we’re awake during the daytime. While there is some variation in sleep cycles between individuals, this does not mean people are capable of being fully nocturnal. People who work nights can even develop a cluster of sleep problems known as “Shift Work Sleep Disorder,” which includes difficulty concentrating, headaches, decreased alertness, and irritability. These symptoms can contribute to dangerous mistakes for those doing delicate work or operating heavy machinery.  

If you know you’ll be working late into the night, schedule your most risk-prone tasks for whenever you’re most awake and aware. Get as much rest as possible before and after your shift and be sure to let your employer know if you’re struggling with your work hours.  

If you’re mid-shift, a short break can help a great deal. Having a snack, taking a water break, or even catching a 15-to-30-minute nap can ward off symptoms of fatigue. It’s not a permanent solution by any means, but a temporary fix is nothing to sneeze at if it keeps you safe for a shift. 

Wildlife 

Thankfully, we don’t need to worry as much about being eaten by a wild animal as our ancestors did, but creatures wandering in the night can still be an unexpected hazard. At night, animals such as racoons, skunks, coyotes, bobcats, and cougars are most active. You may also run into deer at dawn and dusk, as they are considered “crepuscular” and not nocturnal. 

Wild animals tend not to seek out social interaction with people unless they have been conditioned to expect food from them, which is one of the reasons people are highly advised against feeding them. However, that doesn’t mean safety is guaranteed. Any animal can become aggressive if they feel threatened or lack an easy means of escape. Additionally, injured or sick predators may be willing to attack a human as a means of last resort. Even if you’re just driving home after a late night, increased animal activity may mean more creatures crossing the road, leading to vehicle collisions and potential injury: quite literally, running into a deer in the headlights. 

Although, ironically, deer might not be the biggest problem. A 2023 study conducted by students from the University of Georgia’s Savannah River Ecology Laboratory examining wildlife collisions with vehicles at night found that about 45% of encounters with deer were dangerous, but drivers still had a chance to spot them at a distance and react accordingly. Smaller animals were consistently much harder to spot with study participants failing to spot wild hogs a whopping 100% of the time. Creatures with dark fur that are low to the ground may not catch a driver’s attention until it’s too late.  

If you’re working in rural areas at night, make sure you know what animals frequent the area and how to appropriately handle any accidental encounters. Bring bear spray if there’s a chance of running into predators. When driving, go slower than you normally would and use your high beams. And, finally, if you notice a sign that indicates animals cross the road where you are frequently, pay attention to it! 

Temperature 

It likely won’t come as a surprise to anyone reading this that it gets cold at night. However, as previously mentioned with visibility, it can come as a surprise how cold and how quickly temperatures drop when seasons start to change.  

Depending on your location, nighttime temperatures may be consistently below freezing during autumn and winter. If your clothes are wet or insufficient for the temperature, you may be at risk of hypothermia. This is already a dangerous situation to be in, which is made all the worse by the fact that symptoms of hypothermia include sleepiness, clumsiness, confusion, poor judgement, and loss of awareness. If you’re unfortunate enough to be experiencing symptoms of hypothermia, you likely won’t be in a state of mind to get yourself out of trouble.  

Your first step in preventing this is avoiding being outside late at night in the first place. If you don’t have a choice in the matter, then prepare in advance by putting a blanket and a spare set of clothes in your car or somewhere else you can easily access them. Avoid getting wet if possible, and look out for other signs of hypothermia that you may be experiencing such as a weak pulse, fast heart rate, pale skin, and trouble speaking. If you notice any of these symptoms, get to a dry, warm place as soon as possible and seek medical attention in severe cases.  

Other People 

Unfortunately, even if you’ve taken steps to prepare for all the risks listed above, there’s one factor that you will never be able to fully account for: other people.  

Fellow employees, pedestrians, and drivers also have their vision impaired at night. They can also be cold, tired, or any number of other things. As with many safety-related concerns, the best practice is simply to stay vigilant. If you’re working in an area where pedestrians or vehicles may pass, avoid placing yourself in the path of traffic, use cones and reflective vests to make yourself more visible to others, and try to maintain situational awareness. 

If you notice your colleagues struggling, offer assistance as best you can. Supervisors, in particular, should pay attention to how late employees are working and make sure they are being given both ample opportunities to rest as well as any other resources they need to be safe. 

Into the Darkness 

While the dark will always pose danger to people, knowledge and preparation will go a long way towards preventing accidents. If you think your district could be safer in these regards but are unsure where to start, the CSD Pool offers a number of free trainings to members such as CDOT Flagger Training for those who may have workers on the roads at night and slips, trips, and falls training for those who can’t see in the dark (aka, everyone). 

The CSD Pool also offers in-person and virtual safety consultations. If you have concerns about one of the factors previously mentioned in this article, reach out through safety@csdpool.org and get advice from our team of experts on what else you can do to keep your staff safe. 

There will always be a lingering fear of the dark in people, and that fear will always be justified to some extent. However, your efforts can help ensure that nothing truly scary happens when the lights go out.