With the days becoming shorter as we head into winter, drivers may find themselves needing to head out onto the roads in the dark more often at this time of year.
It’s therefore a good time for motorists to brush up on the safety aspects of driving in the dark, with 40% of fatal traffic accidents taking place at night despite there being far less traffic on the road, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention Accidents. As the nights set in, car experts at Leasing Options have compiled a list of advice to follow to stay safe on the roads, the Liverpool Echo reports .
Leasing Options COO Mike Thompson said: “Driving in the dark can be a sensory overload after a summer of light nights. If you’re not feeling confident when driving in the dark, consider going for a practice drive on a Sunday evening when the roads are quieter.”
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He added: “The safest way to approach driving at night is ensuring you have a clear view ahead of you, try not to stare at the headlights of oncoming vehicles and make sure you’re not distracting other drivers.”
The first top tip from the Leasing Options team is to ensure you turn on your lights at the right time when driving at night - to avoid blinding fellow motorists, you should switch from full beam to dipped headlights when someone is driving towards or in front of you. If you overtake a vehicle in front of you, you can then put your full beam lights on to light up the road in front of you, as long as there is no traffic ahead.
Although there are no specific laws around this, it’s advised to keep the interior lights in your car turned off while driving at night to avoid confusing other drivers. Motorists are also urged to slow down when visibility is reduced to help avoid accidents, particularly when your vision distance is limited by your headlights.
Before you even set off on your journey, there are also some vehicle checks that you should carry out first. It’s important to ensure your windows, headlights, tail lights and indicator lights are clean and working properly, and to ask your mechanic to check the alignment of your headlights next time your car is in for its service - headlights that are misaligned can blind other drivers and reduce your ability to see the road.
Additionally, drivers should ensure they clean their exterior mirrors so that light in the reflection is not distorted, as well as checking their positioning. Ensure that your mirrors give a clear view of cars overtaking, while still being able to see the road ahead clearly - the headlights of those overtaking can catch the reflection in your exterior mirror and risk temporarily blinding you.
Finally, motorists are advised to have regular eyesight checks to ensure that their visibility is in good condition, or that they are wearing any necessary eyewear that they may need to help avoid collisions. Remember that it can take up to half an hour for your eyes to fully adapt to the dark, and driving at night puts more strain on your eyes.
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