For some drivers, this is a pleasure and a chance to relax, while for many – a real nightmare. Driving at night requires certain skills and anticipation of hazards.
The lack of a natural light source definitely does not have a positive impact on the safety of driving. Limited visibility in unlit places, many animals waking to life, or simply tiredness – these are probably the biggest dangers that await us on the roads after dark
Although for some, driving nowhere at night with their favorite music in the speakers is the essence of enjoying the car, most people behind the wheel do not feel as comfortable after sunset.
There are several reasons for this. Not everyone drives cars often and at different times, and inexperience with driving in the dark can be paralyzing
In addition, while driving at night, a lot of unexpected things can happen – a pedestrian in dark clothing, which is impossible to see from a distance, a wild animal running out into the road or other drivers who are very loose on the subject of traffic rules. So how to prepare for driving after dark, simply to not be afraid of it?
The most important rule we should follow after dark is to be extra careful, even if we are on a well-lit road. It is the light that wild animals are most attracted to
Of course, this also applies when the only light is the headlights of our car. Deer, wild boar or elk when they see a very bright point approaching them at quite high speed, they can simply get scared and trying to run away from us, accidentally fall directly in front of our hood. This is one of the reasons why we should often slow down when driving on a dark, empty road – even if the speed limit allows us to do more.
Another important element that will ensure the safety of us and other drivers is to properly prepare our car for driving. At night, you need working lights as much as ever. If we do not take care of this, we may be too poorly visible to other road users. Incomplete lighting will also limit our field of vision, which may make it difficult for us to see a pedestrian or cyclist in time.
However, probably the most important issue we should always remember is to be able to assess our strength. If we feel too tired to get into the car, we should never do it. If we are on the road and we feel like we are about to fall asleep at the wheel, we need to find a parking place as soon as possible, where we can take a nap and calmly regain our strength for further driving.
If you take a few precautions and listen to your body, you should be able to manage short or long journeys without any problems, even after dark. The most important thing is to stay focused, anticipate possible dangers and be able to let go if you don’t feel up to it. This will allow us to always arrive safely at our destination.
Main Photo: Vladimir Proskurovskiy/unsplash.com
