Driving at Night – Tips for New Drivers
Driving at night can be scary, especially if you’re new to driving. It would help if you took every precaution possible to stay safe on the road. This article will show you how to drive at night and also examine ways to limit your risk when driving at night.
Check that your headlights are working correctly.
- Make sure the switch is on.
- Check that your headlights are not broken.
- Check that no dirt or snow is blocking the light from shining correctly.
- Ensure you are not shining them too bright, which can dazzle other drivers and cause accidents.
Clear your windscreen
- Use a scraper to remove ice and snow from the windscreen.
- Wipe away any remaining frost/ice with a cloth or dampened chamois leather. (Be careful of using ordinary rags, which can scratch your windscreen glass.)
- If you’re travelling in winter, use a jet of hot air from the engine’s heating system if you have one. It will melt away any snow and ice that has formed on your windscreen during driving.
Clean your lights
- an your lights. It could be that your headlights aren’t as bright as they should be. Or perhaps you have a foggy windshield, a major driving distraction that can increase the risk of an accident.
- Use a good cleaner. The best way to clean them is with a multi-purpose glass cleaner. These cleaners are safe for windows and headlights.
Limit distractions
It’s important to limit distractions while driving. Distractions can be responsible for up to 90% of accidents, many resulting from mobile phones. The best way to avoid being distracted by your phone is not to use it while driving. If you must use your phone, use a hands-free kit or mount it on the dashboard rather than holding it in your hand; this way, you can keep both hands on the wheel and focus on the road ahead.
Some other common distractions include eating or drinking while driving, wearing headphones, and having pets in your car—even if they’re small animals like cats or dogs! Other less obvious ones include adjusting mirrors or changing clothes while driving (you don’t want any extra layers between you and those seatbelts).
Increase following distance
When you’re driving at night, increase your following distance. This is because you can’t see as well ahead of you, and it takes time to react to hazards.
The recommended following distance for a car on a dry road is two seconds for every 10 kilometres per hour of speed. If something in the road could cause a hazard, like debris or an animal crossing the road, this will increase again by another second or two.
Keep an eye on the weather conditions.
- Check the weather forecast.
- Check visibility by looking outside your car window to ensure nothing in front of it might impair your vision while driving at night (e.g., tree branches).
- Check road conditions by looking at whether there are potholes or other dangers on the roads ahead of you (e.g., animals crossing into traffic).
Avoid speeding
Speed limits are set to keep you and others safe on the road. Speeding can reduce your reaction time to hazards in front of you, increase the severity of accidents and affect your ability to see appropriately. It also impacts how accurately you judge distances when driving at night (a factor critical in avoiding accidents).
Watch out for animals running across the road
When driving at night, being aware of what’s on the road is essential. Animals are common in rural areas and can sometimes run across a street without warning, especially if you’re in a small town or rural area. If you see an animal running across your path, slow down and avoid hitting it by swerving around it safely.
If you’re a new driver planning to drive at night, these tips will help keep you safe.
There are two types of drivers: those who can handle being awake during the day and those who need to sleep. If you’re in the latter category, it’s best not to drive at night (or whenever your body clock tells you it’s time for bed). The human body needs approximately eight hours of sleep per 24-hour period. This number doesn’t change depending on whether or not it’s daytime or nighttime. If your circadian rhythm has adjusted so that when it’s dark outside, your brain tells itself that it should be sleeping instead of driving, then some things can help:
- Take naps during the day if possible – allowing yourself extra rest will give your mind and body more energy for nighttime driving later on;
- Keep windows up as much as possible – this helps reduce glare from streetlights which can make staying alert difficult;
- Use high beams whenever possible – these produce less glare than low beams but offer better overall visibility.
Conclusion
These tips will help you stay safe while driving at night. Just remember to take your time, slow down when possible and always be focused. If you need more information on driving at night, check out our other articles on our website!