Driving in the dark comes with a whole set of its own challenges, from the glare of headlights to driver fatigue. A ROSPA survey in 2017 even stated that 40% of accidents happen at night. Here are 4 of our safety tips for night driving to keep in mind on your next excursion.
1. Night driving is better with caffeine.
Drowsy driving is equally as dangerous as driving under the influence. Make sure you’re taking every opportunity to stay awake on the road. If you catch yourself yawning, stop by a gas station to grab a coffee before continuing. It may seem a little backwards to drink coffee close to bedtime, however, night driving requires extra alertness. There are several ways besides coffee to keep yourself awake, so do whatever you need to do to (safely) stay awake.
2. Don’t get blinded – and don’t blind others!
Sometimes, people don’t realize their high-beam headlights are on. Other times, they’ve purposefully turned them on – whether to be annoying or because they don’t think they can see without them. In any case, it’s incredibly distracting to try to focus on the road when people coming the opposite direction have very bright headlights. The best thing to do to regain focus is to direct your eyes slightly downward and to the right. When your eyes have readjusted once the headlights have passed, you can look back to the road in front of you.
Additionally, try to be conscious of how bright your own headlights are! Only use your high-beam headlights when absolutely necessary. The glare they cause can lead to an accident, and you don’t want to cause or be involved in one.
3. Make sure your windshield is crystal clear.
Bugs, pollen, and dirty rain can leave you with residue all over the windshield. These smears can be both distracting and visually impairing when headlights from other cars reflect and illuminate the dirt. Glares are very dangerous while you’re driving. The window washer fluid can really only do so much. At the gas station, take an extra second to use a squeegee to clean your windshield. This will both improve your night driving and make your car look squeaky clean!
4. Take it slow.
There are usually less people on the road at night, making it very tempting to speed. However, speeding at night is even more dangerous than speeding during the day. Since visibility is lower when night driving, it’s better to take it a little slower, or at least go right at the speed limit.
Here at Wave Express, we are dedicated to making sure our drivers travel safely. Make sure to remember these tips on your next night driving journey. Drive safely!
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