Night Driving Safety

night-driving-safetyNight Driving Safety

Night driving poses additional challenges when compared to driving on a nice, sunny day. No matter whether it is fall, winter, spring, or summer, it is imperative to demonstrate additional caution when driving in the evening for optimal safety.

National Safety Council statistics indicate that night driving accounts for approximately 23 percent of vehicle miles driven, yet over 50 percent of driving fatalities occur between the hours of 6 pm and 6 am. Clearly, driving at night is more dangerous due to several factors. Even if you believe your safe driving habits at night reflect those you practice during the day, you may be making an errant assumption. Regardless, you must be aware of other drivers’ issues and be ready to react in time to avoid collisions due to the behavior of other drivers on the road.

Breathe Easy Insurance Solutions offers the tips below to assist you with understanding the increased risk of auto accidents while driving at night.

Be Aware of These Night Driving Dangers

1. Driving Too Fast

When you drive faster than your headlights can light the way, you may approach an obstruction in the road too late to avoid it. You don’t necessarily need to be exceeding the speed limit to be driving too fast for the light from your headlights to illuminate the way.

2. Diminished Visual Acuity

No matter your age, your eyes do not work as well at night as they do in well-lit environments or daylight. Though, ironically, your peripheral vision may be better at night, you may have trouble spotting objects in front of you while driving at night. Additionally, when you transition from a well-lit area to a dark space, your eyes need time to adjust. When you are driving, this adjustment time can reduce your reaction time should you encounter an obstacle in the road.

3. Driving While Judgment-Impaired

Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not the only way that a drivers’ judgment may be impaired. Driving while drowsy or even a small amount of alcohol considered to be under the legal limit in your system can impair your driving abilities. Driving long distances in the dark can also impair your judgment due to a phenomenon known as “highway hypnosis.” Highway hypnosis often occurs when a driver is navigating long, non-eventful stretches of monotonous highway. The lack of stimulation can put the driver into a hypnotic state where his judgment and reaction times can become impaired. Guard against these driving hazards by avoiding getting behind the wheel at night after you have had a few drinks.

When you must travel long distances at night, take frequent breaks to re-energize your mind and keep you engaged in the task at hand. On long trips, try to avoid driving more than eight hours at a time. Sleep during your regular sleeping hours to ensure you safely arrive at your destination.

Additional steps you can do to keep you safe while on the road at night include:

1. Ensure your headlights are in excellent working order before driving at night. Be sure to include your taillights and turn signals when checking your headlights before a trip.

2. Never tailgate. You should always avoid tailgating, but at night, this tip becomes even more important. Leave plenty of room between your vehicle and the one in front of you.

3. Remain focused on the road. Whether you are traveling alone or with passengers, staying focused is even more important at night than when driving during the day. If you need to use your phone, or if you drop something important under the seat, pull over and stop instead of attempting to remedy the situation while driving.

Breathe Easy Insurance Solutions will assist you with finding rock bottom rates for California SR22 insurance. We specialize in locating cheap SR22 insurance rates for drivers with less than perfect driving records. Call 866.822.7755 to speak with a customer service representative who will provide you with a free SR22 insurance quote.