Although driving at night is dangerous, sometimes there is no choice but to take the wheel after dark. Learn how to improve your driving safety at night with these tips by Coast to Coast Synthetics in Goliad.

Like most drivers, you may prefer to drive in broad daylight rather than at night. While night driving allows you to avoid daytime traffic, it also involves dealing with poor visibility and drowsiness, two of the most hazardous factors behind the wheel. According to the National Safety Council, 50% of fatalities caused by traffic accidents occur at night. Given that fact, it is not surprising that most people avoid getting behind the wheel at night. Yet sometimes, there is no choice but to drive in the dark. For instance, let's say you commute to work at night to complete night shifts or that you often hit the road before dawn to visit your family or partner miles away. All in all, there are many circumstances in which driving at night is unavoidable. Thus, it is best to take preventive measures to reach your destination safely if you must travel at night. For tips on this matter, keep reading the following post.

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How to Stay Safe While Driving at Night

Check Your Car's Lighting System Regularly

Your driving visibility and safety at night rely on your vehicle's lights working correctly. Overlooking a misaimed headlight or a faulty bulb could dent your already limited field of vision due to darkness on the road. That's why it's essential to turn all your car's lights on and off periodically to ensure they respond well. If you notice one of the bulbs blinks or goes out, check your owner's manual to see if you can fix it or request a bulb replacement from your dealer. Don't forget to wash the headlights with a soft brush if you see they are dirty. Finally, check to see if your headlights are well positioned and adjust them by your owner's manual instructions if needed.

Get Periodic Eye Exams

Our next tip is for you to visit an eye specialist at least once a year. This way, you'll be able to identify possible eyesight problems early on. For example, let's say you are nearsighted. In that case, such a condition could hinder your ability to read road signs or distinguish distant objects along the way, especially at night. Likewise, there are other eye disorders such as retinitis pigmentosa or glaucoma that, if left untreated, can put you and others at risk.

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Reduce Driving Speeds

Driving at low speed at night allows you more time to respond to any sudden inconvenience on the road. On that note, it is worth noting that a car's headlights illuminate a distance of about 160 to 350 feet. That means you may find it difficult to distinguish any occurrence beyond 350 feet from your vehicle at night. Such a limitation is compounded at higher speeds since the faster you drive, the less time you have to dodge an obstacle or brake safely. Considering that, be sure to slow down whenever you drive at night.

Avoid Looking at Oncoming Headlights

At night, your eyes' pupils dilate to adjust to low light conditions. This ocular change is gradual, meaning the pupils cannot contract immediately if a bright glare suddenly appears. That's why looking at other cars' headlights in the dark may blind you and affect your night driving visibility. Even if it's a matter of not seeing for a few seconds, night blindness is a significant risk. Thus, we recommend that you do not look into the headlights of cars approaching you at night.

Don't Drive When Tired

Did you know that the symptoms of drowsiness are similar to the side effects of alcohol? Both behaviors impair alertness, focus, visibility, reaction times, and other vital driving skills. Knowing that, avoid taking the wheel whenever you feel tired or sleepy. If you have no choice, take a nap of at least 20 minutes before setting off to reduce drowsiness symptoms. Also, drink coffee, and make frequent stops to stay as alert as possible during your night commute.

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