Night driving

Why driving at night is a problem

After the sun goes down you are dependent on your night vision, which unlike cats, who are able to absorb more light into their eyes, is greatly limited. Even if you have 20/20 vision during the day, at night you lose colour recognition, depth perception and peripheral vision.

If you are older or short sighted your night vision is worse – for instance a 50-year-old will need twice as much light to see as a 30-year-old. You’re also fighting your internal body clock, which is preparing your body for sleep. This will adversely affect your concentration and limit your reaction times to hazards. Taking a few precautions will help ensure you stay safe, whether you’re driving on remote country lanes or in built-up urban areas.

How to use your lights safely

Your vehicle needs to be fit for night driving, so always keep all your lights, indicators and windows meticulously clean, and ensure your headlights are properly aligned – they should point downwards slightly otherwise they will dazzle other road users and not light up the road ahead sufficiently. A friend or relative can help you check that all your lights from brake to full-beam are in working order.

Use lights at the onset of dusk – it will help other road users see you as daylight fades – don’t wait until you see other motorists using them. Urban areas are well-lit so used dipped headlights rather than full-beam, which are dangerous and could dazzle oncoming traffic. The same goes for well-lit motorways outside of towns and cities. If you find yourself the ‘victim’ of someone else’s full-beam, slow down and if it’s safe to do so and you feel it’s necessary, stop the car until your eyes recover.

There are steps you can take to minimise the dangerous combination of dark nights and bright car lights. For example, if you drive too close to the car in front, your headlight beam will bounce of rear of the vehicle, reducing your visibility and interfere with the other driver’s vision when he or she checks the rear-view mirror. This is why keeping your distance at night is essential.

Check your speed

Another way to stay safe is to slow down. Not only is it more difficult to judge speed and distance in the dark, but it will take you longer to see hazards such as pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other cars pulling out from minor roads. Even though they should, not all cyclists and motorbike riders wear reflective clothing so it’s up to you to see them in time. Likewise, your stopping distance should be within the area illuminated by your headlights – if your speed is such that your vehicle will come to a stop beyond this then you are, in essence, ‘driving blind’. Pay extra attention when driving around pub-closing times – pedestrians who have had too much to drink are less likely to take care when crossing roads. It is best if you as a driver avoid any alcohol whatsoever as driving at night requires extra concentration.

Unlit roads present further challenges to night drivers. Your eyes will take some time to adjust when you switch from a well-lit road to an unlit one, so slow down further until you can see better. Only turn on your full beam if you are alone on the road, and use dipped headlights if you’re not.

Keep your distance from the car in front to prevent your lights from dazzling them. Unlit roads, by definition are usually located in rural areas and, as such, are more likely to be narrow, winding and have no footpath. The chances of encountering wildlife on the road are greater and, as you approach villages, there may be pedestrians at the side of the road too. Driving too fast in such places could prove to be tragic, making it all the more important that you reduce your speed.