Prevent Nighttime Accidents With These Tips For Driving In The Dark
Posted on: 27 March 2015
Driving at night is obviously more dangerous than driving during the day because of reduced visibility. In fact, statistics show that about 49 percent accidents involving fatalities in the United States occur during the nighttime hours.
Those who frequently drive at night should be putting some extra effort into staying safe behind the wheel. The following are five great nighttime driving tips that just might save your life or the lives of your passengers.
Know how to use your headlights and high beams properly
Leaving your high beams on as you pass other vehicles can distract drivers and cause accidents. Remember to turn off your high beams when you pass other cars.
You also need to pay attention to your regular headlights when you're driving at night. If it's time to replace them, they may become dim and provide reduced visibility for nighttime driving.
Adjust your dashboard lights appropriately
Lights on your dashboard and instrument panel that are too bright can distract you and compromise your forward vision. These lights typically come with dimmer switches that allow you to reduce their brightness during the night to help you see through the windshield better.
See an optometrist
Vision distortions such as myopia are often more severe in the dark than they are in the daylight. If you want to be confident driving at night, you should make sure you don't have any common visual problems such as nearsightedness. Such vision problems can make driving at night very difficult unless you have the appropriate prescription lenses or contacts.
Keep your windshield clean
A clean windshield is always important for visibility. A dirty windshield can be especially dangerous at night when lights outside can cause glare. Before you begin driving at night, make sure that your windshield and your side mirrors are not clouded with residue or mist.
Clean and adjust your mirrors
If your side-view or rear-view mirrors are not kept clean, they may reflect light from other vehicles in a distorted or diffused way. This can cause a distracting glare that could lead to accidents. Always check to make sure there is not excessive residue accumulation on your exterior mirrors before driving at night.
When you're driving at night, you should make sure that your rear-view and side-view mirrors are properly adjusted. Whether you're driving during the day or at night, these mirrors are important for visibility. However, they're especially important in the dark when it's more difficult to see other vehicles on the road.
Be sure to check out shop such as Auto Body By Duie LLC to repair any structural issues with your car that may affect your driving ability.
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