Maintenance Tip: Night Driving

The most dangerous time to drive on any roadway is between the hours of midnight and 6am, especially on the weekends. Luckily, there are some things you can do to improve your safety when driving at night.But by following a few basic guidelines, you can minimize your risk.

You must obey this rule for night driving: To See and Be Seen.

Keep your car in good condition

• Ensure all lights work. Lights on your car are the most vital night-driving tool.Without them, you will can’t see or not be seen by other drivers, it can cause accident easily.
• Clean and clear may increase your visibility, inside and out
  Windows, instrument panels, headlights, tail lights—all of these are components that increase visibility inside and outside your car. Consider regularly cleaning your dashboard and instrument panels, mirrors, windows, and windshields (inside and out) to gain greater visibility.
• Adjust your headlights for maximum effectiveness
  Check your headlights for proper alignment and ask your mechanic to adjust them properly. Adjusting your headlights may help you see more of the road while also protecting other drivers from wayward beams.

Keep your body in good condition

• Never drink and drive
  Not only does alcohol radically impair motor skills and driving ability, but even one social drink can trigger fatigue. This can lead to an exceptionally lethal combination.
• Avoid smoking when driving at night
  The carbon monoxide and nicotine in cigarettes has a measurable, physical effect on your eyes. These chemicals can actually make it difficult to see well and clearly, especially at night.
• Stay sharp
  Try chewing bubble gum to keep your mind humming. Also, drinking water and staying well hydrated may do wonders for mental alertness.
• Rest early, rest often
  If you’re planning a longer night-driving expedition, make sure you bank a couple nights’ worth of good sleep before hitting the road. Also, plan on making frequent stops to stretch, walk, or have a small snack or moderate meal.  Some experts recommend stopping every two hours for a body/mind break.

Other Tips for night driving

• Turn on your headlights in time.
  When it’s getting dark, turn on your lights in time to make sure that your car is seen by other drivers,even if you can see the road clear.

·         Don’t exceed your reach
When driving at night, remember that your sight—and safety—are only as good as the reach of your headlights. Don’t assume that the road is clear. What lies beyond the pavement you can see may be sudden and unexpected hazards you can’t see. Reduce your speed, increase your following distance, and expect the unexpected, especially on darker country roads.

·         Keep it dark inside the car
Turn off all interior lights. Any source of light inside the car will seem extremely bright and will make it more difficult to see.

·         Minimize glare
Look to the bottom right of the road to avoid approaching headlights. (Some headlights are blindingly bright.) Also use the night setting on your rearview mirror to deflect the glare from vehicles behind you. Older drivers find it more difficult to see at night because it takes longer for them to recover from glare.

·         Use high beam carefully
Be careful to lower the head light beam when necessary otherwise it might blind the oncoming driver. It is also necessary to switch on the headlights when you are uncertain of what you are seeing. And try not to overdrive your headlights which will make it impossible for you to stop inside the illuminated area.

Courtesy of Car-Use.net