Night Driving Tips
Driving at night has always inherently been more dangerous. A 2017 survey by ROSPA showcased that around 40% of all driving collisions occur in the hours of darkness. Furthermore, 20% of serious accidents on motorways in Britain are caused by falling asleep behind the wheel. The main reason for these accidents being reduced road visibility, making it far more difficult to judge the speed of neighbouring vehicles and their distances. Research from confused.com showed that over 2 million of the UK street lights are dimmed or switched off entirely, making this problem far worse.
Night Driving Tips – Use Headlights
The institute of advanced motorists advises that you should switch on your headlights before sunset, and keep them on an hour after sunrise. This ensures that it’s easier for other road users to see you during twilight. They also recommend that you keep your exterior lights clean, you should consider wiping them down with a wet cloth before you start a night journey. Furthermore, your interior lights should not be switched on as they have the potential to dazzle other drivers.
Night Driving Tips – Use of Full Beams
On rural roads, it’s best to switch on full beam whenever possible but dip your lights whenever faced with oncoming traffic to avoid dazzling them. If you are dazzled by an oncoming car, avoid looking at the headlights and focus your vision on the road ahead. Another trick for increasing visibility is ensuring your windows stay clean, both inside and out. This is because dirty windows increase glare from other drivers and are more prone to steaming up. However, if your windows do steam up, most modern cars will have a heating function which will attempt to clear the steam.
Night Driving Tips – Vulnerable Road Users
Driving at night can be made especially more dangerous with pedestrians or other vulnerable road users. Although it’s advised for pedestrians and cyclists to wear bright or reflective clothing, some may not. This makes them difficult to pick out, especially in country lanes where they may not be regular street lighting. Therefore you should drive slightly slower in these areas and keep a careful lookout for pedestrians, anytime you take a turning or go over a hill, where visibility of the road ahead is reduced.
Night Driving Tips – Keep a Distance
Distances between cars are another issue when driving at night. It’s never a good idea to follow another car too closely, however, this bad habit should definitely be avoided at night. The first reason for this is that you’re likely to make the driver ahead nervous, meaning they’re more likely to react badly to a hazard to changing situation. Furthermore, the closer you are, the brighter your headlights are and therefore the more distracting they are. Again this will make the driver more nervous and could limit their visibility of the road ahead. Another reason you should try to increase the distance between you and the next car is that during the night, visibility is reduced. Meaning it’s more difficult to react to oncoming hazards as you have a shorter amount of time. In general, maintaining a larger gap means driving slower, which is advisable during night hours.
Night Driving Tips – Keep Mirrors & Windows Clean
Make sure that all windows and mirrors are clean. Dirty windows will increase glare from other vehicles. They are also prone to steam up more than clean windows. Consider cleaning the headlights and indicators.
Night Driving Tips – Night Driving Lessons
If possible, consider taking a few driving lessons. These can be taken individually or as part of a Pass Plus course. DTC UK driving instructors are registered with the DVSA to conduct pass courses. Many insurance companies in the UK offer discounts to new drivers who complete the pass plus course.
Night Driving Tips – Conclusion
The best way to avoid any sort of collision or accident at night is by constantly watching your mirrors and be looking for any lights or movement. You should also have your eyes checked on a regular basis for problems which can affect night vision. You could get up to 3 penalty points for driving if your eyesight is not up to the required standard.