Fall is here! Pretty soon, the days will be getting shorter and driving in the dark will become the norm again. The potential for an auto accident is higher during this time of year. Keep in mind these safety tips for driving at night to reduce your chances of getting into an auto accident.
1 – Check Your Headlights
Your headlights are so important to being able to see the road and any potential hazards. Make sure your headlights are pointed at the correct angle. If pointed too low, they will limit your visibility. If pointed too high, they can blind approaching cars. Headlight positioning is checked at your annual vehicle inspection, but it’s a good time to check it in the fall as well.
2 – Use High Beams Properly
High beams are an important safety feature for driving on dark roads, but improper use can cause accidents rather than prevent them. Remember to turn off high beams when there are any cars in front of you, no matter which direction they may be traveling. Also, don’t wait for those cars to get close before turning off high beams. You should do so at the first sight of another car. High beams can be blinding to other vehicles, even at a distance.
3 – Avoid Interior Lighting
Keep lights inside of your vehicle off when driving at night. Interior lighting will make everything else more difficult to see. To demonstrate just how much of an impact it could have, try this little experiment. At night, turn off all the lights in your home and look out the window. Make note of how much you can see. Now, turn on your interior lights and look out that same window. You will see much less detail. In the same manner, lights on inside of your car will make it difficult for you to see the road and your surroundings.
4 – Keep Your Eyes on The Road
One of the most important safety tips for driving at night is to keep your eyes on the road. Night time driving requires you to act quickly, as you may not see a dangerous situation until it gets close. If you’re distracted, your ability to see that danger and react quickly is severely diminished. So, avoid distractions. In particular, don’t text and drive!
5 – Keep a Safety Kit in the Car
If your car breaks down at night, it will be difficult for you to see and for others to see you. A safety kit in your car can be a life saver! Glow in the dark hazard signs or road flares can alert other drivers and prevent them from crashing into you. A flashlight can help you see the your vehicle in the dark and allow you to fix things like a flat tire. If you need to walk to get help, that same flashlight can illuminate your path and alert drivers to your presence.
Summary of Safety Tips for Driving at Night
As your normal driving routine to and from work changes from daylight to night time driving, making adjustments to how you drive can make a world of difference. We hope that the above safety tips will help you avoid accidents this fall and winter. Be sure to follow us on Facebook for additional safety tips and tricks.
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