Safety tips for night time driving

Driving at night can be a daunting task – and one of the most important things to consider is your safety. At night you need to be even more aware of fellow drivers and more vigilant of your surroundings.

Whether driving during the day or at night, it’s always important to remember that you are not alone on the roads. Unfortunately, with night driving you have the extra disadvantage of being surrounded by fatigued motorists and possibly intoxicated drivers, who further compromise your safety.

1. Head out in safety

Before you head out, make sure that your headlights are working, and ensure that you have them aimed correctly. Headlights that are pointed too far down or too far up reduce your chances of being able to see sufficiently.
Another tip; make sure your headlights are clean. This may sound obvious, but it’s possible for your headlights to get dirtied up before you even head out. A quick check before you drive off could make the world of difference.

2. Buckle Up & Prepare

Before you start driving, while you are parked in a safe place, buckle up and lock your car doors. If you’re heading out to an unknown destination, make sure you put the destination in your GPS or navigation APP before you start driving. The more focused you can be on the road, the better your safety.

TIP: If you’re feeling nervous about your drive, GPS Navigation APPS such as WAZE allow you to share your drive with family or friends. Set your destination and then push “Share my drive” to someone who can assist you in an emergency. (Check out our blog post: The 5 best apps for drivers)

3. Follow the rules and then some

Whether driving during the day or at night, following the rules of the road is crucial to your safety and that of fellow road users. At night, make sure you add an extra level of obedience to your driving so that you can stay safe.

• Increase your following distance. At night your visibility is limited and many times you can only see the back of the car in front of you. Keeping a safe following distance will allow you to react with more time should something happen.
• Stick to the speed limit. If your car has cruise control, setting this will help you focus on what’s happening around you without having to keep checking your speedometer.
• When approaching traffic lights at an intersection, make sure you are aware of what’s happening as you approach. Many night drivers are scared on the road and may jump the light. Even if your robot is green, make sure you’ve checked both sides before crossing.
• If you can see the robot changing to red long before you approach, try to tap off your accelerator and let your car approach the stop lines slowly. Racing up to the red robot, slamming on breaks and then sitting for a few minutes puts your safety at risk.
• Don’t use your cell phone while driving. Not only will you be distracted, but it also tells other people that you’re not paying attention. If a would-be Smash-and-Grabber is waiting for his next target at a robot, the blue light emitted from your phone while you’re texting let’s the criminal know that you’re not paying attention and you would be an easy victim.

4. Check, check, then keep checking

Know what is around you at all times. Avoid any distractions (cell phones, changing the music, adding your location to your GPS etc) when driving at night.

Remember that accidents happen far quicker than you think, and it’s not worth letting anything put you in danger. If you can stay 100% alert and limit any distractions from disturbing your drive, you’ll have a much safer drive at night and reach your destination safely.