Safety Tips For Driving Through The Night
Road-tripping at night can be a surreal and memorable experience.
For starters, fewer cars are on the road, so you don’t have to worry about traffic jams. Likewise, it can be a great time to reflect on your life while enjoying the calm around you. Driving at night can also boost fuel efficiency, as you drive at an even speed and avoid the stop-and-go motion that occurs when other vehicles weave into your lane. However, night-time road-tripping isn’t without its issues, making it essential to be extra prepared.
Here are some practical tips you should consider when driving through the night.
1 – Make Sure Your Car Is Road Ready
Being stuck by the side of an unknown road in the middle of the night can be a frightening experience, and avoiding it as best as you can becomes mandatory. That said, you’ll find it helpful to prepare your car for the journey ahead.
You can begin this process by inspecting your tires to ensure they are in good condition. As a tip, check for gouges, sidewall bulges, and cuts. If you notice these things, you will find it beneficial to replace your tires as soon as possible. You should also ensure your brakes are functioning properly; vibration or a grinding sound signifies a fault that should be addressed immediately.
While at it, inspect the engine to ensure it functions properly. You can also clean your car’s interiors and exteriors well to keep them pristine.
2 – Be Prepared For Any Situation
Although your car is set for your trip, you don’t want to leave anything to chance. This is because anything can happen anytime, and you want to be prepared for such a situation. For instance, you can pack your chargers to ensure you can communicate with others for help. However, you don’t have to prepare for car breakdowns, so keep this in mind.
Sometimes you may feel too tired to drive and want to rest. So your car should have the essentials to make it comfortable as you sleep. Bringing some blankets, travel pillows, or even a sleeping bag should you feel like sleeping under the stars is beneficial. Since the temperature tends to drop at night, you can keep out the cold by wearing an extra layer of clothing, mens gloves (if you’re a guy), and a beanie.
Entertainment can also keep you from getting tired, so feel free to pack your favorites. These could be your best songs or podcasts, depending on your preferences.
3 – Prioritize Clear Visibility
Admittedly, visibility can be quite challenging when driving at night for some reasons.
For starters, driving on an unlit road means you can’t see beyond a few feet where your headlights shine. On the other hand, the glare from oncoming vehicles’ headlights can also be overpowering, causing you to feel distracted. Moreover, eye conditions like nyctalopia, myopia, and astigmatism can make visibility difficult when traveling at night.
Unfortunately, this can increase your risk of accidents that could injure or even end your life. Therefore, it’s important to prioritize visibility when road-tripping at night. Experts recommend switching off or dimming your vehicle’s interior light to enable you to see the road more clearly. It’s also important to evaluate your headlights, brake, signal, and tail lights to ascertain that they work properly.
A replacement is in order if they dim in intensity, so keep this in mind. Avoid looking directly at oncoming headlights; instead, invest in auto-dimming mirrors. Another easy way to improve nighttime visibility is to keep your windshield clean. If you have vision problems, avoid driving at night to reduce accident risks.
4 – Do Not Drive When You Feel Sleepy
It’s not unusual to feel sleepy when driving at night.
However, the problem lies in continuing to drive when you feel this way. This is very risky, as you can doze off and would have encountered an accident before you realize what’s happening. Moreover, you risk the lives of the passengers in your car and other motorists. Therefore, avoid driving when you feel sleepy.
Instead, park at a safe place and give yourself that much-needed rest. However, you don’t want to lose sight of safety while you do so. You’ll find it helpful to lock all your doors and windows to prevent suspicious people from accessing your car. Putting off all lights can also prevent you from drawing attention to yourself.
However, if you don’t feel comfortable sleeping in a particular area, you can drink coffee or caffeinated beverages to keep you awake until you reach a safer destination. Chewing gum can also keep you awake when driving, so feel free to consider this.
