Driving at night is one of the times that can be the most relaxing. There are fewer people on the road, no cars honking or traffic pushing to get by. The silence of the city and even more so the countryside is palpable. Depending on where you live, you can see city lights reflected over the water or be led by your headlights’ long pole shaped beams.
Driving at night can almost be a celebration of the music that you love too. The silence outside and the darkness can give a new sensorial experience. You don’t even need to have your music particularly loud for it to feel a little more ‘deep’. Of course, you won’t want to disturb other people, so don’t crank the bass up too high. No one lights a nighttime nuisance.
Yet, there are a couple of times that driving is significantly more dangerous.
- Where there is severe weather like heavy rain, strong winds, snow and ice
- Long-distance driving
- Driving at night time
One of the biggest reasons that driving at night can be dangerous is that there is limited visibility. Humans can’t see all that well in the dark; it takes us time to adjust. Add that some speed and bright lights, and who knows what can happen – if you aren’t careful.
Tired
If you are tired, then you shouldn’t be driving. That is driving 101, yet many people who have yawned a little too often go out and drive. Many crashes happen between midnight and 6 am, some of which can be attributed to extra risks taken on clearer roads and tiredness. If you are already driving and begin to feel tired, you must pull over when possible and sleep.
Clean screen
You already have a reduced road view, but if your windscreen is perfectly clean, the road lights will highlight smears and other drivers’ headlights, and the street light can cause glare. Getting your car detailed by Clear Water Detailing will not only make the inside pleasant but give you a crystal clear view through all of your windows.
Defensive driving
Not everyone is a defensive driver; however, as the night falls, you must become more vigilant. Even though there are fewer cars on the road, it isn’t completely empty. Defensive driving is defined as “driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others”. Drive at night with the aim of being as safe as possible.
Headlights
If you don’t set your headlights correctly, you will lose out on a lot of the illumination that they can give you. If your headlights are tilted up too high, you can dazzle oncoming traffic. If you are driving an older model that doesn’t have the ability to tilt headlights, you aren’t sure how to use your headlights, or your lamps aren’t in good working order, then take your car to Auto Cité to have full service. Ensuring all of your lights – and the rest of the car is in good working order.
Headlights are often underutilized. They are useful in rural areas, roads where there aren’t as many street lights. Remember that you need to dim them within 500 feet of oncoming traffic.
Animals
If you are used to city driving but are heading out on country roads, you might be surprised to see signs with deer on them. Most collisions with deer and moose happen between dusk or at night. These are increased in how often this happens from October to January. Your high beams will help you spot an animal nice and early, but they tend to panic and get skittish. Drive slowly, give them time to move.
Eyes down
One of the biggest mistakes people make is looking directly at the headlights of homecoming traffic. This can not only dazzle you but change the way you perceive speed and the shape of the road. Instead, you should keep your gaze just off-center.
Driving at night can be an incredibly relaxing experience, and the ideal way to travel if you like to avoid traffic and have the road almost to yourself. Simply keeping these things in mind can ensure that you have a peaceful and event-free night time driving experience.