Driving in the dark

Use your lights

Having working headlights whilst driving is an essential, driving without lights is illegal and unsafe, you should make sure you check all your lights are fully working before you start driving.

Don’t wait until it’s pitch black and dark outside to flip the switch, you should turn on dipped headlights in low light. It’s good practice to keep them on for an hour or so after the sun rises and an hour before it sets. You’ll most likely only need to use your full beams when driving in unlit areas such as country roads – but you should dip them immediately if you come across another vehicle to avoid blinding the driver.

Keep your windscreen clean

It’s no shock that dirt, condensation, and smears can make it harder to see, especially in the dark. And even smudges can be hard to spot in the daytime. Car heaters aren’t much help either, blowing dirty air at the glass can cause the glass to get misty and foggy making the situation worst. Try to keep your windows/windscreen as clean as possible, this will also help ensure your safety and others,

Make sure your screen wash is topped up and wipe down the inside of the window with a microfibre cloth.

Get your eyesight checked

Driving in the dark can be hard especially if your eyes aren’t working to the best of their abilities,

Getting you eyes checked is always a good idea especially if you’re a driver, if you can’t see properly then you can’t drive properly, this can put you and others at risk! If you’re struggling to adjust to lower light, its time to pay a visit to the opticians. If you do need glasses, you optician might recommend purchasing anti-reflection coating on your lenses to reduce glare. Even if you have 20-20 vision you should NEVER wear dark or tinted lenses when driving at night.

Don’t drive tired

You should NEVER drive if you are tired, this is extremely dangerous for everyone on the road.

 One in five accidents are caused due to people driving whilst being tired and up to a quarter of fatal and serious incidents. If you are making a long-distance trip you should schedule enough time to stop and have a rest and perhaps grab a coffee.

Night driving essentials

If your planning to drive after dark, especially in the cold, icy, winter months, it’s important that you carry a night driving kit with all the essentials, just in case. The following items should be in your night driving kit, a torch ( a head torch would be even better, this will ensure that your hands are free), a blanket and a warm set of clothes could become really useful if your caught in the mean winter cold weather as its best to stay warm whilst waiting for the recovery team to arrive, also things such as an ice scraper and a mobile charger can be useful and perhaps even a reflective jacket (a reflective jacket would make you easier to spot, this would be important if you were in danger!)

Watch out for pedestrians, cyclists, and animals

When it starts getting late and darkness begins to fall at about 4pm, you’ll more likely be sharing the roads with pedestrians and cyclists. You should take extra care when driving through residential areas and near schools; it’s also a good idea to slow down and stay alert to potential hazards. In rural areas, you’re most likely to come across animals than other people. They can be hard to spot so stay alert, don’t speed, and keep yourself and others safe.

Stay Safe