How to Stay Safe When Driving a Car at Night
Nighttime driving causes significant anxiety for many drivers, even those with decades of experience. Limited visibility, the natural tiredness that sets in at night, and the fear of encountering impaired drivers are all factors contributing to the dangers of nighttime driving. But by making slight changes to your driving preparation and how you handle your car at night, you can protect yourself and your family from collisions.
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, you could be entitled to compensation. Find out now by calling Reeves & Mestayer at 228-374-5151 to set up a time to talk. Our team of Biloxi car accident lawyers is here to help.
Keep Up on Your Vehicle Maintenance
Breaking down anywhere is inconvenient and annoying, but breaking down at night can be downright dangerous. You leave yourself at risk of being hurt by those with bad intentions or having to wait a long time for professional assistance. Before heading out on a long nighttime drive, give your vehicle a thorough checkover to ensure everything is safe. This means checking your headlights before every drive, keeping your headlights clean and properly aligned, and ensuring that your windshield wipers are functioning. You can also get your car checked by a professional to verify that your turn signals, brake lights, and tires are all in good shape.
Utilize Proper Lighting
Nighttime visibility is considerably worse than daytime visibility. Knowing this, you should make yourself as visible as possible while driving and do everything you can to see the vehicles and obstacles around you.
Use your high beams appropriately while driving at night, turning them down when a vehicle approaches so you avoid blinding other drivers. Many vehicles now have automatic lights that make this adjustment for you. Before leaving on your drive, clean and adjust your side view mirrors for optimal visibility. If you often find yourself squinting to see at night, look into upgrading your headlight bulbs for better visibility.
Finally, don’t forget about your fog lights. Fog makes nighttime driving even more dangerous and can limit your visibility to the point that you are forced to stop. When you’re stuck in foggy conditions, rely on your fog lights to get you through. This protects you from having your regular headlights reflect off the fog and hurt your eyes.
Take Advantage of Advanced Safety Features
One of the good parts of driving in this day and age is the huge variety of safety features our vehicles have. The earliest drivers didn’t even have seatbelts. Now, not only do we have seatbelts, we have airbags, backup cameras, and other features that streamline key driving tasks.
There are numerous safety features that can make nighttime driving easier. Lane departure warning systems are incredibly useful, warning you with a loud noise and lights when you begin drifting out of your lane. This can alert you when you begin getting tired and drifting off. Similarly, some vehicles have gaze-tracking technology.
When your eyes aren’t looking ahead at the road and the vehicle detects that you are looking down, it alerts you and reminds you to keep your eyes on the road. A growing number of vehicles also have collision warning or prevention systems. They can sound alarms when you’re too close to another vehicle or even intervene by braking for you.
Adjust Your Driving for Night
Every time you have to drive at night, make sure you’re prepared for what lies ahead. Drive slower than you do during the daytime to give yourself extra time to stop for obstacles. When you’re sharing the road with other vehicles, leave plenty of space between you and them. If you’re on the road for a long stretch of time, plan regular breaks so you can get out, stretch your legs, and fight off fatigue. While you may listen to music or a podcast to avoid getting tired, stay away from any entertainment that is interesting enough to become a distraction.
Injured in a Nighttime Accident? Call Reeves & Mestayer
After a nighttime crash, your next call should be Reeves & Mestayer. Our personal injury attorneys are ready to help you pursue the compensation you’re owed after a crash. To schedule your consultation now, get in touch online or call us at 228-374-5151.
