Nighttime is a difficult and dangerous time for driving. While it’s easy to see the headlights and tail lights of other cars, their distances are difficult to judge, and oncoming headlights produce blinding glare. Anything or anyone on the road without a light or reflector is invisible, and some of the motorists around you could be battling fatigue. Most of us can’t avoid night driving because our work and life commitments require it. However, you can make night driving safer by following these five tips:
Don’t Overdrive Your Headlights
Drive at a speed where you can stop within the area illuminated by your headlights. Driving faster than this means that you’re driving blind. That is, you will hit people, animals, or road obstructions just outside your headlight range because you won’t be able to stop in time.
Don’t Use Your Parking Lights When the Sun Sets
Turn on your headlights one hour before sunset and leave them on one hour after sunrise to increase your visibility. Parking lights aren’t bright enough for this. Using your parking lights at dusk can make you forget to turn on your headlights later because the parking light setting will turn on your dashboard lights. This may fool you into thinking your headlights are on.
Don’t Drive When You Are Fatigued
If you’re feeling tired or drowsy, find a safe area to pull over. Take a nap, then do a brisk walk, and drink some coffee if available. Take frequent rest stops like this until you reach your destination. If your fatigue is persistent, find a place to stay overnight. Don’t wait until you are about to fall asleep. Once you pass a certain fatigue threshold, you lose conscious control over staying awake. In addition, driving while fatigued is impaired driving. Drowsy motorists are twice as likely to make driving mistakes than well rested and alert drivers.
Scan the Road to Prevent Eye Strain and Highway Hypnosis
Scanning the road is also a good defensive driving technique. The eye movement relieves eye strain and prevents a kind of hypnosis caused by eye fixation on a tail light or the painted line in the middle of the road.
Turn Your High Beams to Low When Approaching Oncoming Traffic
This is more than a courtesy to the other driver. High beams may blind an oncoming driver who may collide with you head-on. Remember that there are many drivers with night vision problems, inexperienced drivers, and possibly drunk drivers on the road at night.
If a reckless or negligent driver injured you in an accident, seek the advice of an experienced Eastern Shore accident lawyer. The Law Offices of John Critzos, II, will work to get you the compensation you deserve. Contact us at 844-Take-MyCase or visit our website at www.844TakeMyCase.com.
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