Traffic
death rates are three times greater at night than during the day, yet
many of us are unaware of night driving's special hazards or don't know
effective ways to deal with them.
Driving at night is more dangerous than during the day. One of the
obvious reasons is darkness. Ninety percent of a driver's reaction
depends on vision, and vision is severely limited at night. Depth
perception, color recognition and peripheral vision are compromised
after sundown.
Fatigue also adds to the danger of night driving. Drowsiness makes
driving more difficult by dulling concentration and slowing reaction
time.
Alcohol is the single most significant factor in fatal traffic crashes,
playing a part in more than half of all motor vehicle-related deaths.
That makes weekend nights more dangerous. More fatal crashes take place
on Friday and Saturday nights than at any other time in the week.
Effective measures to minimize these after-dark dangers can be taken by
preparing your car and following special guidelines while you drive:
- Prepare your car for night driving.
- Clean headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows once a
week, more often if necessary.
- Aim your headlights properly.
- Misaimed headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability
to see the road.
Don't drink and drive. Not only does alcohol severely impair your
driving ability, but it also acts as a depressant. Just one drink can
induce fatigue. Avoid smoking when you drive. Smoke's nicotine and
carbon monoxide hamper night vision. Turn your headlights on if there
are any doubts. Lights will not help you see better in early twilight,
but they'll make it easier for other drivers to see you. Being seen is
as important as seeing.
Reduce your speed and increase your following distances. It is more
difficult to judge other vehicle's speeds and distances at night.
Don't overdrive your headlights. You should be able to stop inside the
illuminated area. If you're not, you are creating a blind crash area in
front of your vehicle.
Keep your headlights on low beams when following another vehicle so you
don't blind the driver ahead of you.
If an oncoming vehicle doesn't lower beams from high to low, avoid
glare by watching the right edge of the road and using it as a steering
guide.
Make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise. If you're too tired
to drive, stop and get rest.
If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible. Warn
approaching traffic at once by setting up flares or reflecting triangles
near your vehicle and 300 feet behind it. Turn on flashers and the dome
light.
Observe night driving safety as soon as the sun goes down. As your eyes
are adapting to the constant change in amount of light, twilight is one
of the most difficult times to drive.
