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Night Driving
INFO
Is Driving At Night More Dangerous?
Yes. Driving at night is significantly riskier than driving during the day. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), half of traffic deaths happen at night, even though only 25% of driving is done during nighttime hours. That means you’re twice as likely to die in a crash at night over the day!
How To Drive Safely At Night
How to Drive in Fog at Night
When you encounter fog, use your fog lights or low beams. The light fromhigh beam lights can reflect off the tiny water droplets in fog, making visibility significantly worse.
Drive slowly.
Even with low beams or fog lights, you often won’t be able to see more than a few feet in front of you. Because of this, slow way down to give yourself more reaction time.
Keep a safe following distance.
Speaking of reaction times, if you’re following another vehicle in fog, significantly increase the following distance. This will make it easier to stop if they were to suddenly break!
Focus on the right edge of the road.
It can be difficult to see where the center of the road is when driving in fog. Keep your focus on the right edge of the road to keep your vehicle in the correct lane and out of oncoming traffic.
Remove distractions.
Driving during fog takes a lot of focus. Remove distractions by turning off the radio, silencing your phone, and refraining from activities such as eating, drinking, or anything else that may be competing for your focus.
Use windshield wipers and defroster.
Keep your windshield clear by using the windshield wipers and defroster on your vehicle. It’s best to increase your visibility as much as possible.
How to Reduce Glare When Driving At Night
Avoid looking directly at headlights.
High beam headlights from an oncoming vehicle can be completely blinding. This is particularly dangerous on two-lane highways, because it’s easy to veer into the other lane subconsciously when looking at the headlights. So, instead, look away near the right edge of the road to maintain control.
Use night mode or anti-glare rear view mirrors.
Some vehicles are equipped with mirrors that dim to avoid glare from bright headlights coming from behind. Some mirrors dim automatically, whereas others require you to flip a lever to activate the anti-glare mode.
Keep your windshield clean.
A dirty windshield can make glare worse because the particles on the glass reflect light from high beams, intensifying the glare. So, keep your windshield clean when driving at night!
Tilt your side mirrors slightly down.
Tilt your side mirrors down slightly so that high beam light reflects away from your eyes. You should still be able to use the mirrors, so don’t tilt them so far down you can’t see out of them.
Keep dash lights dim.
To help reduce glare inside the car, dim interior lights. This will also help preserve your night vision.
Reduce distractions and stay focused.
Defensive driving is extremely important when driving at night. Stay focused by ditching common driving distractions and giving your full attention to the night travel.
How to Stay Awake While Driving at Night
Get plenty of rest beforehand.
Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. When traveling in poorly lit areas, it can be really easy to feel fatigued. To avoid this, try to get plenty of rest before driving at night.
Stop and to stretch your legs or go for a walk.
If you’re struggling to stay awake, don’t push through. Pull over and stretch your legs or go for a walk to wake yourself back up.
Be mindful of signs of drowsiness.
Stay aware of your body. If there are signs you’re getting too tired to drive, take action. Some signs include lots of yawning, excessive blinking, nodding off, difficulty remembering the trip, drifting out of your lane, and zoning out. Stay alert and don’t drive drowsy!
How to Help Driving at Night with Astigmatism
Wear updated prescription glasses.
If your prescription is outdated, it could make astigmatism while driving worse. Meet with your eye doctor if astigmatism or other vision problems are impacting you while driving day or night.
Avoid contact lenses for long night drives.
Contact lenses can dry out easily in cars when the heat is on. This can cause blurred vision, irritation, and discomfort, making night driving even more dangerous. Bring your glasses for longer trips!
INFO
Is Driving At Night More Dangerous?
Yes. Driving at night is significantly riskier than driving during the day. According to the National Safety Council (NSC), half of traffic deaths happen at night, even though only 25% of driving is done during nighttime hours. That means you’re twice as likely to die in a crash at night over the day!
How To Drive Safely At Night
How to Drive in Fog at Night
When you encounter fog, use your fog lights or low beams. The light fromhigh beam lights can reflect off the tiny water droplets in fog, making visibility significantly worse.
Drive slowly.
Even with low beams or fog lights, you often won’t be able to see more than a few feet in front of you. Because of this, slow way down to give yourself more reaction time.
Keep a safe following distance.
Speaking of reaction times, if you’re following another vehicle in fog, significantly increase the following distance. This will make it easier to stop if they were to suddenly break!
Focus on the right edge of the road.
It can be difficult to see where the center of the road is when driving in fog. Keep your focus on the right edge of the road to keep your vehicle in the correct lane and out of oncoming traffic.
Remove distractions.
Driving during fog takes a lot of focus. Remove distractions by turning off the radio, silencing your phone, and refraining from activities such as eating, drinking, or anything else that may be competing for your focus.
Use windshield wipers and defroster.
Keep your windshield clear by using the windshield wipers and defroster on your vehicle. It’s best to increase your visibility as much as possible.
How to Reduce Glare When Driving At Night
Avoid looking directly at headlights.
High beam headlights from an oncoming vehicle can be completely blinding. This is particularly dangerous on two-lane highways, because it’s easy to veer into the other lane subconsciously when looking at the headlights. So, instead, look away near the right edge of the road to maintain control.
Use night mode or anti-glare rear view mirrors.
Some vehicles are equipped with mirrors that dim to avoid glare from bright headlights coming from behind. Some mirrors dim automatically, whereas others require you to flip a lever to activate the anti-glare mode.
Keep your windshield clean.
A dirty windshield can make glare worse because the particles on the glass reflect light from high beams, intensifying the glare. So, keep your windshield clean when driving at night!
Tilt your side mirrors slightly down.
Tilt your side mirrors down slightly so that high beam light reflects away from your eyes. You should still be able to use the mirrors, so don’t tilt them so far down you can’t see out of them.
Keep dash lights dim.
To help reduce glare inside the car, dim interior lights. This will also help preserve your night vision.
Reduce distractions and stay focused.
Defensive driving is extremely important when driving at night. Stay focused by ditching common driving distractions and giving your full attention to the night travel.
How to Stay Awake While Driving at Night
Get plenty of rest beforehand.
Drowsy driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. When traveling in poorly lit areas, it can be really easy to feel fatigued. To avoid this, try to get plenty of rest before driving at night.
Stop and to stretch your legs or go for a walk.
If you’re struggling to stay awake, don’t push through. Pull over and stretch your legs or go for a walk to wake yourself back up.
Be mindful of signs of drowsiness.
Stay aware of your body. If there are signs you’re getting too tired to drive, take action. Some signs include lots of yawning, excessive blinking, nodding off, difficulty remembering the trip, drifting out of your lane, and zoning out. Stay alert and don’t drive drowsy!
How to Help Driving at Night with Astigmatism
Wear updated prescription glasses.
If your prescription is outdated, it could make astigmatism while driving worse. Meet with your eye doctor if astigmatism or other vision problems are impacting you while driving day or night.
Avoid contact lenses for long night drives.
Contact lenses can dry out easily in cars when the heat is on. This can cause blurred vision, irritation, and discomfort, making night driving even more dangerous. Bring your glasses for longer trips!