Analysis of the impact of daylight on grounding and collision accidents

It is crucial to conduct accident investigations in order to identify the root causes and prevent further accidents in the future. Investigations have revealed that the number of accidents occurring at night is greater than during the day, and that they have a more significant impact. The difference in the number of accidents and their causes between day and night is a critical issue that requires attention. This study examined the distinct differences in accident times between the Straits of Canakkale and Istanbul. These straits have considerable maritime traffic both day and night, which increases the potential for accidents. The aim of this study is to analyze the accident times in the Istanbul and Canakkale Straits in terms of ship watches. Between 2001 and 2016, 451 grounding and collision accidents occurred in the straits. The accident data were analyzed using SPSS and the chi-square test. The analysis of the data shows a significant difference in the number of accidents between night watches and day watches, with night watches having more accidents. The tests showed that this difference was statistically significant.