Driving after dark brings extra dangers. When you can't see far ahead, you have less time to react to an obstacle in the road, whether that's another car, a person, or an animal. But reduced visibility isn't the only concern. There is so much else going on when you drive at night both inside and outside the vehicle. Have you noticed that when your phone rings at night the glare is almost blinding for a moment? It's much more distracting certainly. With less traffic at night statistics still show that almost a third of traffic fatalities occur between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. The worst times to be on the road are weekend nights, when a lot of people are partying.
Statistics further show that giving other drivers more distance at night is much safer and taking more precautions reduces your risks considerably. Here are some tips we found on the Consumer Reports Website *LINK
Merged with common sense and some automotive safety tips together they all work to make you safer on the roads when you travel at night.
a) Don't be afraid of your high beams. They throw light further giving you more room to react to hazards and many don't use them as often as they should. Newer vehicles have automatic high beams that dip themselves to low-beam when they sense oncoming traffic or tail lights ahead. If you don't have a high tech vehicle, then use the high beams to your advantage manually. Being aware of your surroundings is a vital benefit for you when driving at night.
b) Check your lights to see if they are clear and giving off the appropriate amount of light during nighttime driving. Many of our older vehicles have foggy lenses or need the bulbs replaced. Reduced vision = reduced safety. Get those lenses cleaned and be sure your windshield is clean as well.
c) Fight the glare. Many are sensitive to night glare from wet roads and others headlights. As you get older, that sensitivity gets worse. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a 55 year old takes 8x longer to recover from glare than a 16 year old. If you have any questions, ask you eye doctor what options are available for you.
If you have any mechanical questions or feel that your headlights are not responding correctly, stop by the shop and let us take a look at them. We can make sure they are adjusted correctly and are working correctly. Your safety is our concern.
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