There are a number of things that contribute to making driving at night unsafe and probably the most dangerous time of the day such as rush hour, compromised night vision, fatigue, lack of light and impaired drivers. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, nighttime driving causes three times more traffic deaths than daytime. Therefore, it’s important that you know some safety driving tips to keep you safe after hours.
Dim Your Dash Lights
Your car has a dashboard dimmer switch and it’s there for a reason. When you drive with your dash light on bright, it can compromise your forward vision. Interior lights shine light all over your car on the inside and can shine into your eyes which can be very distracting. Having a good map light is fine, however, you shouldn’t be able to see where it’s coming from when you are in the driver’s seat. You should only use map lights as needed and don’t drive with them on.
Wear the Right Glasses
Avoid yellow-tint sunglasses. They don’t actually help you see better. Instead, use anti-reflective coating prescription glasses that help keep light out of the inside of your lenses.
Avoid Oncoming Lights
When you are driving at night, your concentration can be disrupted by bright oncoming lights. Your eyes get used to the dark road and the soft dim glow of your dashboard while driving at night, so when an oncoming car comes, if you stare right into their headlights, it can compromise your vision. Look away from bright road signs and oncoming high beams.
Stay Alert
You should always avoid distracted driving. Put your phone away and if you are tired, pull over and stretch your legs out a bit. Before getting back on the road, maybe grab some food or rest up for 15 minutes or so. When you are not alert, your judgement can be off. Pay attention to the road, be mindful of other drivers, slow down and stay alert.
Remember, the time change for this year is just around the corner. It’s our ‘fall back’ time change and it happens on Sunday, November 6, 2016. This means darkness will creep up on you earlier each day so make sure you are prepared for nighttime driving.
Be protected with the right auto insurance coverage too in the event that you are involved in a vehicular accident at night. Let bolt insurance Agency help you with your auto insurance needs.
