Driving at night presents more dangers than driving in the day. Driving at night requires you to be a lot more defensive.
With the darkness all around you and glaring lights everywhere, it can be difficult to focus enough to see the road and other drivers. This can lead to accidents.
To avoid this, there are some safety measures that you must know and use when driving at night. Take a look at what you need to know.
Clean Up Your Windshield
Keeping your windshield clean is one of the most essential things you need to do to improve visual clarity at night. Dust on your windshield that may not bother you or prevent you from seeing well in the daytime can limit your vision at night.
How Are Your Lights?
Make sure that your headlights and taillights are working properly. Check that all your turn signals are also working correctly.
You want to be able to see the road clearly, but you also want other drivers to be able to see you as well. Many accidents happen simply because other drivers did not see you coming.
Do Not Tailgate
Tailgating is one of the major reasons why a lot of accidents take place. Make sure that there is a good distance between you and the driver in front of you.
Ensure that you reduce your speed as well. It doesn’t matter if you are in a hurry to get home or wherever it is you’re going, it’s better to get there safely. The bottom line is that when you are driving at night, you should not tailgate or speed.
Look Out for Animals
Depending on where you’re driving animals on the road may be a hazard you need to watch out for. If you are on a road that is known to be frequented by animals especially at night you need to be extra cautious. Accidents involving animals are more likely to happen at night or just before dawn.
If you want to sell your car in the future you may have to present an accident history for the vehicle, getting into accidents at night can impact your car’s history. Depending on how many fender benders you’ve been in, it can make it difficult to sell the car.
Fix Inside Lighting
The lighting inside your car is very important when driving at night. Make sure that your dashboard lights are not overly bright.
Dim your interior lights as much as possible so that your eyes have less work to do. Glancing from a well-lit dashboard to a dark road can be disorienting. It may decrease your visibility at a critical time.
Stay Safe
Staying safe while driving at night is extremely important. You have a responsibility to protect yourself and other drivers on the road. You should make sure that your vehicle is in good working order and that you pay careful attention to the road.
Once you are extra defensive with your driving at night and avoid distractions you stand a greater chance of arriving at your destination safely.
