According to the latest survey by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), driving at night is tricky and three times more fatal. At night, it’s challenging to comprehend the road or approaching vehicles clearly in the dark, especially if the area is not brightly lit. Also, when it’s pitch dark outside, the headlights of an approaching vehicle can blur your vision and lead to a dangerous crash.
However, it’s not practically possible to avoid driving at night for all drivers. Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind to drive safely after sunset.
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Things to know while Driving At Night
Since you cannot avoid driving at night, it is wise to acquaint yourself with practical tips and hacks to help you drive through dark roads safely.
Be Extra Cautious
The importance of basic precautionary measures increases at night. For example, if you are speeding during the day, you still have a chance to press the brakes at the right time when you see a vehicle approaching. However, when you are driving at night, there can be two dangerous possibilities:
- The road you are driving through might be so dark that you do not see the approaching vehicle until it is very late.
- The bright headlights against the otherwise dark background are so hard on your eyes that it blurs your vision, and you cannot press the brakes on time.
In either of these cases, the result would be a fatal accident that might even be life-threatening. Hence when driving at night, be extra cautious and take extra precautions at every step.
Keep Your Vision Clear
It is crucial to have a clean and spot-free windshield all the time. Dirt particles make the light falling on it scatter a lot more and cast a glare on the approaching driver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also reports that dirty or damaged headlights can hinder your vision as well. That’s why it’s important to clean your headlines before you hit the roads.
Make Sure Your Headlights Are Properly Angled
Keeping the headlights clean is not enough; you also need to angle them correctly. If you tilt them too low, their range of illumination will be restricted. On the other hand, if you angle them way too high, you might blind the approaching drivers with the bright beams from your headlight. Fixing the headlights at the right angle is not something that drivers can do. You need to take your car to the nearest garage and get them fixed by professionals.
Watch Out For Animals
Animals do not risk venturing out on the highways during the days, owing to busy roads. However, when the sun sets and the roads are comparatively quieter, they might step out. Unless you are alert and driving at the right speed, you will not be able to press the brakes on time when an animal suddenly comes in your way. In that case, you will not only hurt yourself, but it can be fatal for the animal too.
Stay Alert And Combat Drowsiness
Sometimes, you could be doing everything right and still get into an accident because the other driver on the road was not careful enough. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report, the hours between midnight and 6 a.m. are most dangerous for drivers. It is between these hours that drivers are most likely to feel sleepy. Hence you need to take care of two things here:
- Be on the lookout for the other cars behind you so that in case a drowsy driver takes a wrong turn or speeds towards you, you should be alert enough to avoid it.’
- If you are feeling drowsy, take a break, pull over, drink coffee, and wash your face thoroughly. Sleepy drivers risk their safety and pose a threat to the other drivers on the road.
Many drivers also claim that listening to music and opening the window once to get the fresh air helps them stay awake. If you don’t feel good, it’s probably best to stay the night at a nearby motel and continue your journey the next morning.
Avoid Being Blinded By An Approaching Car’s Headlight
No matter what precautions you take, you are bound to feel the sting of the bright headlights on your eyes. If the lights are too bright, they might even blind you for a few seconds. And when you are on the road, every second is important. Hence the trick here is to not look directly at the headlight.
When you are driving and another car with brightly lit headlights approaches, you should look down and then to the right and follow the right edge of the road to stay on track. You can also use the lane markings to ensure that you are driving properly. Only lift your gaze back up when the approaching car has driven past you.
Use Fog Lights When It’s Foggy Outside
Some areas have a typical tendency of becoming foggy at night. In this scenario, only a fog light can help you see ahead. These lights help you see through the fog instead of just lighting up the mist. Just remember to aim your fog light as low as possible so that they do not cause glare for an approaching driver.
Endnote
While the first thought on your mind when driving in the night might be to reach home as soon as possible, speeding and ignoring safety precautions is certainly not going to help. Hence you must keep all the islands as mentioned above in mind.
On top of that, always have comprehensive insurance plans for your car. Roads can be unpredictable, and one wrong move can land you in a life-threatening accident. In this case, an overall insurance plan from a reputed insurer will be your only savior.
