Driving at night: what you need to know

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by: bythesea
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Word Count: 543
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2011 Time: 12:17 AM
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While the first time driving at night unaided for a new driver will likely be a daunting yet ultimately educational experience, for those of us who have been driving for a number of years it can sometimes seem that there's nothing left for us to learn on the roads. It's not true, of course; we become better drivers with every journey we complete.

It's worth taking a couple of steps back from time to time and realising that it's entirely possible that we've developed a few bad habits since we first passed our test - and that whether we're a new or experienced driver, there are plenty of tips out there to help us improve our skills behind the wheel.

Driving at night is one of those activities that can lure the motorist into a false sense of security. You may suddenly transition from a very well lit area to a particularly poorly lit area, for example, forcing you to readjust your concentration levels further and slow down.

While visibility is obviously relatively poor wherever you drive during the night, it's important that you pay attention to how well illuminated the road ahead is and drive at a speed that allows you to stop within the distance that you can see clearly. If an animal runs out into the road at short notice, for example, you want to have given yourself every chance to avoid it.

Well prepared pedestrians and cyclists will wear reflective clothing while out and about at night, but you can't rely on everyone being so forward thinking. For that reason, it's important that you're vigilant at all times in order to spot such vulnerable people as early as possible and adjust your speed accordingly. Bends and dips in the road can also be obscured at night time, so take extra care if you're travelling on an unfamiliar stretch of road.

Having your headlights set to full beam will aid you hugely where possible, but it's important that you realise when it's not permissible to do so. When driving through urban areas, for example, you should always use dipped beams, while you should also dip your lights when there is a vehicle directly ahead of you or approaching you on the other side of the road. Failing to dip your lights could cause other drivers to become startled, potentially leading to an accident.

Breaking down in your car is an annoyance at the best of times, but it can be particularly worrisome if it happens at night in on an unlit stretch of road. Be sure to carry a torch and mobile phone with you whenever you drive at night as well as taking out breakdown cover so that you can get quick assistance in such situations. Some car insurance providers will even include roadside recovery when you take out a policy, so that's another option worth exploring.

If you take the above advice on board and are still less than confident when it comes to driving it night, get in contact with a local driving instructor and book a couple of night driving lessons - they'll be more than happy to accommodate you, and the extra guidance will go a long way to getting you on the right track.

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