Night driving can be trickier and more stressful than daytime driving, but there are ways to make it a safer and more pleasant experience. Here we take a look at five of them.
1. Try Not to Look at Oncoming Lights
Oncoming headlights can severely disrupt a driver’s concentration, and it’s easy to find yourself inadvertently distracted by bright lights. Try to look away if possible and concentrate on the road ahead.
2. Wipe Your Windshield
Night driving will show up exactly how dirty your windshield is, and any dirt on the glass can cause dangerously distracting glare. Surprisingly, newspaper is the best material with which to remove unwanted streaks. If your glass mists up, try to wipe it with a clean cloth rather than with your hand, and direct hot air on to the windscreen to keep it mist-free.
3. Fog Lights
In low visibility, fog lights can be a godsend. If your vehicle doesn’t have any, then you can buy bolt-on fog lights which should be fitted as low down as possible in order to light the road under the fog.
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4. Auxiliary Lights
If you often drive along dark rural roads, you may want to invest in some auxiliary lighting, also known as pencil beams, spot lights or driving lights. However, some are deemed too powerful for road use, so you will need to check the legality of lights before you switch them on. Off-road you can use any external lights you choose to.
It’s also a good idea to fit a car or truck camera so that if another vehicle commits an indiscretion you have it recorded. Affordable but quality cameras can be bought online from sellers such as http://www.backwatch.co.uk.
For more details on the legality of auxiliary lights, see http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/contents/made.
5. Polish and Position External Mirrors
Dirty side mirrors will reflect any lights behind you more than clean glass, which can become distracting. Another good tip is to aim your mirrors slightly downward so that you can see cars behind you if you move your head but you can also easily escape the glare of their lights.
Many people fear driving at night, but as long as you proceed safely and maintain your concentration, it isn’t really any different to driving during the day.
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