8 Tips For Driving Safely At Night

It’s not just your perception at night is significantly riskier than driving during the day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the risk of being involved in an accident that results in death is three times higher at night than it is during the day (NHTSA).

The primary reason for this is, as should come as no surprise, the fact that our vision is impaired in low-light conditions. You have a reduced view of the roadway in front of you, as well as less space and time to come to a halt. Ironically, certain types of light, such as the glare from lights that are turned up too high, might make the condition much worse. And of course, Affordable Car insurance is extremely necessary in case of an auto accident such as Auto Insurance San Diego.

However, the difficulty of night driving is compounded by a number of other issues. The following are eight tips that may assist in lowering the danger.

Be Extra Defensive

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that the rate of fatal collisions involving alcohol impairment is almost four times higher at night than during the day. This finding indicates that drinking and driving offer a greater risk after dark. It goes without saying that you should never get behind the wheel after drinking, regardless of the time of day; similarly, you should never drive while distracted; nonetheless, it is a good idea to put your defensive-driving instincts on high alert when driving at night.

Combat Fatigue

According to NHTSA, the hours between midnight and six in the morning are those in which accidents caused by drowsy driving are most likely to occur. Therefore, be aware that there may be sleepy drivers on the road during these hours, and make sure that you keep yourself awake. Get some coffee in your system, find a safe place to pull over and relax, or find a place to spend the night. Other activities, including putting on the radio (but not at an uncomfortable volume), rolling down the windows sometimes for a breath of fresh air, and talking or singing to oneself, have been reported by some drivers as being helpful.

Make Your Perspective More Clear

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), windshields that are dirty or broken can scatter light, which might possibly enhance the effects of glare. According to the findings of the research, having headlights that are either dusty or broken might reduce your visibility and cause glare for oncoming cars. Therefore, maintain frequent cleaning of the headlights and windshields; for the headlights, a dedicated cleaning tool may be used.

Stay away from two-lane state highways

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), two-lane roadways may be the “worst-case scenario” for nighttime glare. This is because these roads tend to have more sharp curves and hills than a freeway does, and incoming automobiles’ headlights contribute to the problem. If you have the option, go at night on a more secure path.

Reduce Your Speed

According to NHTSA, accidents caused by speeding account for 37 percent of fatalities that occur while driving at night, compared to 21 percent of those that occur during daylight hours. This is because visibility is reduced and reaction times are shortened. For instance, the normal range of your headlight is 160 feet in front of you, but in order to come to a complete stop from 40 miles per hour, you need 190 feet.

Ensure that your headlights are angled properly

When the beams tilt down an excessive amount, you will lose some of the necessary illuminations while you are driving. However, if they lean back too far, they can obscure the view of oncoming automobiles. The headlight angle is checked annually in certain jurisdictions as part of the vehicle inspection process; however, if your state is not one of them, it is up to you to ensure that your headlights are aimed properly. According to Rader, “This is not typically a project that you can do on your own.” “In order for customers to receive assistance, auto dealerships and repair shops should be contacted,”

Make Use of Your High Beams If and When It Is Necessary

According to Rader, high lights are underutilized, although they may be of great assistance while driving in rural regions or on open highways. Just keep in mind that you should turn them down to a lower setting when you are within 500 feet of an oncoming car (so that you do not momentarily blind the other driver), and you should not use them when you are following another vehicle. If you are in the market for a new vehicle, Rader suggests that you seek models that come equipped with adaptive lighting systems. These systems will automatically change your high beams based on how many other vehicles are in the area.

Make Adjustments to the Lighting Within Your Home

According to Epstein of the National Safety Council, if the lights on your dashboard are excessively bright, it can be unsettling to glance from the dashboard to the dark road in front of you. He suggests turning the inside lights down at night so that important controls are still clearly visible but do not become distracting. “Dim the interior lights during the night.” “Also, make sure to wear your visors at night so that you are protected from the glare of any external street lighting.” He goes on to say that the mirrors in many brand-new vehicles have an automated dimming feature that reduces the amount of light that is reflected.

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