Tips for Safe Driving After Dark

When darkness rules the night, keeping safe on the highway takes more than just good driving abilities. Driving with limited lighting and numerous other aspects of the night, safety after dark is a full time job.

Some people assume that the highways are a desolated part of the night. Not exactly, this is when all of the nocturnal creatures come out to play. Not only the "creatures" of the night are out, but also impaired drivers on the road who sometimes impose life threatening situations.

Surviving the darkness of the night requires the use of all your senses. Listed below are several areas which should be taken into consideration if you plan on driving after the sun goes down.

Things that go bump in the Night

Many of God's creatures come out in the darkness and rule the night. Co-existing with them on the highways after dark sometimes can be a sticky situation. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent each year repairing automobiles that have tangled with deer and other large game in the roadways.

Everyone has seen these types of situations before. A deer or any other type of nocturnal creature enters the roadway and quickly creates havoc. Brakes are locked up as vehicles enter your safe place, or cross the median strip into the path of oncoming vehicles.

A constant watchful eye must always be used for movements in the dark. Any quick evasive movement to avoid these animals puts the safety of your vehicle into jeopardy. Trying to avoid one of these creatures rather than hitting them have killed many innocent citizens on the roadway.

Of course the natural instinct is to avoid anything on the roadway, but avoiding them and entering into someone else's path of travel can be a fatal situation. Always be aware of the vehicles around you when trying to avoid a collision with anything on the highways. This simple act can save your life, and many others on the highway.

Limited Visibility

Now is the time when good eyesight and instinct really comes into play. Limited visibility can be very detrimental when it comes to quick life saving decisions in the night. Although the lights of your vehicle should warn other vehicles of your presence, this is not always the case.

When driving at night be sure that your headlights are in proper adjustment. This simply means that your headlights are adjusted to shine on the road, not twenty feet above the surface. Good visibility is a must when driving at night!

Anytime a passing situation is present always be aware of the possible actions of other vehicles. Always prepare and expect the worse! This subconscious warning in the mind can sometimes prepare you for unseen actions of other vehicles. Never assume for any vehicle to act as you expect. Always be prepared for the unexpected.

Impaired Drivers

Now is the time when most impaired drivers are on the highways. Drunk drivers and sleep deprived drivers seem to rule the night. Coexisting with them can sometimes be a life and death situation. Vehicles can enter into your path of travel without any warning signs. Adjusting to these impaired drivers is very difficult with limited vision.

The hours between 3AM - 6AM are usually the worst times of the night. Some nights feel like a never-ending battle avoiding the sleepy or drunk driver. If a cell phone is available always contact the authorities when a sleepy or drunk driver is observed. This one call could quite possibly save someone's life.

Observe and watch the movements of any vehicle before passing them. If the vehicle is having a hard time staying in their lane caution should strictly be used when passing them. Wisdom advises putting your vehicle some distance behind them.

Exit and entrance ramps should also be watched closely as most nighttime drivers rarely merge. Most of these vehicles usually just fly out into any lanes of travel. Caution should always be used when driving in high traffic areas. Nighttime it seems is when most of the rules of the road are broken, so be mentally prepared.

Bright Lights

Not only the bright lights of other drivers, but also the bright lights of exits and construction areas are very invasive to the eye. As the eyes adjust to the darkness any quick changes in the light spectrum takes several seconds of adjustment for the eyes. This is when an accident is most eminent in the adjustment period.

When driving into construction areas always avoid looking into the lights. These areas are usually very narrow, and all of your attention should be on the roadway and the workers, not the lights.

A large amount of drivers also feel the need to drive around with their bright lights on, so be prepared for this. Again try to avoid looking at these bright lights if possible. Don't engage in a light battle with these drivers, just let them pass.

Forces of Nature

Rain, sleet, snow and fog can be very difficult to deal with when driving in the dark. Visibility is already lowered, and now these additional elements of Mother Nature only intensify the dangers on the road.

Anytime the road conditions change for the worse speed and caution should always be used with strict discretion. Adjust your speed to a comfortable and safe speed. If you start to feel stressed or nervous slow down. If you don't feel safe when you've slowed down, then pull over and take a break.

Breaks from driving should always be taken in regular intervals. This gives the mind and also the body time to relax and regroup. It also energizes the body from the mere exercise of walking. Fatigue is another safety factor which sometimes comes into play.

Keep yourself occupied with: music, talk radio, or books on tape to keep the mind interested and alert. The long dark highway provides no visual stimulation, so you must adjust to this handicap. Another good idea is to keep some snacks and drinks along for the ride. This provides nourishment for the body, and also provides taste stimulation.

A good night sleep is always the best safety factor in surviving most situations. Keeping the mind and the body in good working order is the key to survival, whether it's bright sunshine, or the darkest of nights.