Different challenges are accompanied when travelling after sunset to reach your destination. Many people are unaware of the night driving dangers. The traffic fatality rates are three times more at night than day. Night vision is limited due to reduction in color / contrast recognition, depth perception and peripheral vision.Here are tips you need to know about night driving:
- Turn your headlights on one hour before sunset and keep it on at least one hour after sunrise.
- Use your low beams when driving by street lighting, driving in fog, approaching other cars, or following a car closely. Use high beam headlights when driving in open country.
- Make sure all exterior vehicle lights work properly.
- Avoid glare by look toward the right side of the road and watch the white line marking the outside edge of the traffic lane instead of looking at oncoming headlights.
- Use the "day-night" feature to adjust your rearview mirror to cut out as much of the light reflection as possible.
- When streetlights cause a lot of glare, dim your dashboard lights and use your sun visor. Also, turn off lights inside your vehicle.
- Keep inside and outside of your windows as well as your headlights, tail-lights and signal lights clean.
- Keep your eyes moving and look for flashes of light that may indicate of other vehicles.
- Increase your following distance to four to five seconds to give yourself more time to respond.
- Travel at lower speeds to allow enough time or distance to stop.
- Ensure good ventilation inside the vehicle and take frequent refreshment breaks. Take a power nap, a brisk walk, or have some caffeine to help you stay alert.
- Make sure your exterior mirrors that are properly adjusted.
- Wear night driving glasses or anti-reflective coating (AR)prescription eyeglasses to improve vision at night.
Read more Night Time Driving Tips
SOURCE: Road & Travel Magazine
