Night time driving is a serious bit of business indeed because of the challenges that come with it. In fact, research has actually suggested that they account for almost one third of the deaths and road injuries because of reduced visibility and increased trouble in judging speed, distance and time.
Therefore, you need to be extra careful while driving your car during the dark. In here we have provided a few safety tips that can come in handy for you.
Keep your vehicle windows clean
Okay, now this is mighty important for you to get a clear view of the road up ahead.
Keep your windows clean to reduce the glare of vehicle headlights (you should expect it at night) and dampen the effect of condensation at night.
Do not drive with a high beam
Driving with a high beam can actually dazzle the vehicles opposite of you at night. Such things can actually lead to disastrous traffic accidents.
Therefore, it’s always advisable to dip your lights at light whenever you see another driver approaching your vehicle from the opposite direction.
It’s all there in the eyes
It’s absolutely vital for you to have your eyesight checked periodically as this might show up any eye issue such as myopia or hypermetropia or even glaucoma that might affect your dark vision, which in turn can affect your night time driving extensively.
DO NOT wear dark or tinted glasses at the time of driving.
Study the road as closely as possible
Read the road up ahead as closely as possible for signs of oncoming vehicles or even glimmers of light. Look out for signs of light at bends because that might give you prior warnings of other vehicles at the curves.
And also watch out for cyclists and pedestrians. Remember they are more difficult to spot at night especially because they don’t wear reflective clothing.
DO NOT tailgate at any cost
Tailgating is a risky piece of business indeed. It’s always advisable to avoid tailgating at any point of your driving, let alone at night.
Maintain a 3-5 seconds distance at the very least from the vehicle ahead of you. This practice can definitely benefit you a lot while driving during the dark.
Stick to the speed limits
Different roads have different speed limits. It’s always advisable to abide by them even when you think you are the only one driving through especially if you want to be on the safer side.
Do not speed up and slow down inconsistently. Try to maintain a consistent balance between your acceleration and deceleration in your drive. Such practice is considered to be a good defensive driving practice indeed.
Keep fatigue at bay
The best solution is obviously to have a straight 8 hours rest before the drive but in case you don’t get the scopes to do it, these are the few things that you can do to keep fatigue at bay in the best possible way:
- Using caffeinated drinks.
- Avoiding cruise control.
- Eating healthy snacks.
- Turning up your car AC well above the level of comfort zone.
N/B: If the level of fatigue becomes too unbearable for you, avoid driving at all cost. You’ll be running a huge risk of a clash or an accident in case you pay no heed to your body in situations like that.
When in doubt, STOP
If you ever doubt yourself during the drive, slow down and bring your vehicle down to a halt. Do not take chances in any way.
Take a small break, turn up the music and start over again. The entire experience will seem like a breath of fresh air.
Dim the lights of your dashboard
This will help you reduce the amount of reflections and can also directly and positively influence your night vision.
So consider dimming your dashboard lights at the time of your drive.
Driving in the dark is a risky bit of business indeed. A simple mistake here and there can really result in a disaster. So do not take any chances at any cost whatsoever. These practices can definitely benefit you a lot in the long run.
Contributed By:http://www.texas-truckaccidentlawyer.com/
