Simple Tips For Driving At Night
It is no secret that driving can be dangerous and it only takes one mistake to find yourself in real danger. It is all too easy to allow a level of complacency to set in if you have been driving for years without incident, but one lapse in judgment is all it takes.
Of all the potential hazards you can encounter on the road, driving at night does not spring to mind as easily as some of the others. However, vigilance and alertness are required more so with driving in the dark, due to the limited visibility. As such, you don’t want to make your first mistake surrounded by darkness.
As summer fades and the days shorten, the perils of night time driving come to the fore more as darkness falls quicker and although you may begin a journey in perfect visibility, you will often find yourself returning home in darkness.
Curiously, driving at night is not a mandatory part of the UK driving test and many newcomers to the road may find it difficult to adapt to the new circumstances involved in operating a vehicle safely amid poor light. Also, many are used to street light within city locations and find driving at night in the country side a new and more unnerving experience.
However, there are a few simple tips you can follow that will help make driving at night a little less daunting.
Paying attention to your vehicle and your own levels of awareness and fatigue is important on the road at night. Remember, your car lights help you see and also allow others to see you, so turn your headlights on to full beam if you are night driving on unlit roads where no other traffic is visible ahead. But, don’t forget to dip the headlights as soon as you see another road user to avoid dazzling them, as this can be dangerous.
Also, it is always helpful to clean and check your headlights regularly. Headlight dirt or misalignment of lights can reduce the distance ahead at which you can see at night; as a result this can make your vehicle less visible to oncoming road users.
Furthermore, it is the small things that can also make a difference such as keeping paper towels or a rag handy in the interior of your car should your windscreen become clouded or dirty.
And, if an oncoming vehicle fails to put their headlights in dip mode, excessive glare can be avoided by focusing your eyes on the edge of the road and using it as a steering guide. However, it is still important to be aware of possible dips and hidden bends in the road and specifically take extra care when overtaking.
Adhering to these tips as well as keeping your motor in good working order and of course, availing of quality uk car insurance should ensure that you are prepared for the perils of night time driving.
Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
