Why are there so many traffic accidents at the entrance and exit sections of tunnels?

According to CCTV news reports, various parts of the country have recently entered the autumn and winter seasons. Due to frequent fog, snow, ice and other reasons,There are more accidents occurring at tunnel entrances and exits than usual.In addition, due to the large difference in light and darkness inside and outside the tunnel, drivers will feel that the entrance to the tunnel is dark, while the exit is a dazzling white light. It takes a few seconds for the eyes to adapt to this change in light and dark.

This phenomenon is also known as the "black hole" and "white hole" effects at the tunnel entrance.

In this regard, relevant departments conducted statistics and found the geographical location of 443 tunnel traffic accident data.

The distribution of traffic accidents at the entrance and exit sections of the tunnel is obviously dense. Accidents at the entrance section of the tunnel are mainly concentrated in the section from 100 meters outside the tunnel to 200 meters inside the tunnel.

On the contrary, accidents were mainly concentrated in the section from 100 meters inside the cave to 200 meters outside the cave.

From the perspective of accident forms, vehicle rear-end collision is the most important accident form, accounting for more than half of the total number of tunnel accident samples.

In addition, there are few lanes in the tunnel and they are relatively narrow, so the escape space and the error-tolerance space for driving operations are limited. Once an operation is made incorrectly, accidents are more likely to occur than on ordinary road sections, and rescue is more difficult.

So how to prevent "black hole" and "white hole" effect traffic accidents?

Before entering a tunnel, drivers should follow the speed limit signs, slowly reduce their speed in advance, keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front, and turn on their low beam headlights.

Once you enter the tunnel, do not panic during the dark adaptation period of your eyes. Adjust your sight point to the far side of the tunnel. Do not pay attention to the tunnel walls on both sides. Keep driving at a constant speed in the original lane and do not brake suddenly and change direction.

When exiting a tunnel, slow down the vehicle appropriately, wait until your eyes have adapted to light, and then increase your speed quickly after your eyesight has recovered, so as not to affect vehicles coming from behind.