Tips for Driving Safely After Dark
Driving in the dark requires more attention and skills than driving in daylight. And now that we’re in the winter months, we actually have more hours of darkness than we do of daylight and driving in the dark is unavoidable. The next time you find yourself behind the wheel after dark, use the tips to help you get safely to your destination.
Slow Down
Drive slower after dark so you will have more time to react when an obstacle comes into your (limited) field of vision. Cars with dim headlights or brake lights (or lack thereof) can seemingly pop up out of nowhere stop in front of your vehicle. Drive slower and keep more distance between you and the car in front of you after dark.
Clean Headlights
Just a little road grime will dim your car’s headlights and reduce visibility, both what you’re seeing and who is seeing you. Make a habit of cleaning your headlights every time you pump gas so your high-beams will always be shining their brightest.
Flash Your Brakes
If the driver behind you is sleepy or distracted, coming to an abrupt stop, even at a traffic light or stop sign, could cause a rear-end collision. Tap your brake pedal as you are slowing down to stop so your brake light will flash and get the attention of the driver behind you so they will instinctively slow down too.
Block Glare
The headlights of oncoming traffic create a glare that obstructs view, so do street lights and inconsiderate drivers behind you with their headlights on bright. Block the glare of headlights from oncoming traffic by looking towards the right side of the road until the vehicle passes. To block glare from overhead street lights, use your sun visor and when your mirror is reflecting the headlights of the car behind you into your eyes, protect your eyes by moving the mirror so the light will reflect back into the other driver’s eyes. They will get the hint and dim their headlights pronto.
Listen to your GPS
The bright display screen of your GSP can be distracting when driving after dark. Dim the light of the display screen and turn the screen away so you only be able to hear the directions and you can keep your eyes on the road.
