Is your car ready for night driving?
Posted by Susannah Mayers
Even though the long summer months are upon us, drivers still have to deal with driving in the dark, which can be tricky if certain measures are not put in place.
Of course, the first thing to check before driving in the dark is that your car headlight bulbs are in full working order.
But driver training specialist the Institute of Advanced Motorists is offering tips on night driving via Simon Elstow, the centre's head of driver training.
He urged motorists to turn on headlight bulbs before sunset and an hour before sunrise to make it easier for other drivers to see you in twilight conditions, which can be difficult in the UK.
Ensuring headlights are clean and working correctly is another tip, as well as cleaning all the windows on the car – inside and out – to reduce the amount of glare caused by a setting or rising sun.
Mr Elstow also recommended properly aligning mirrors to reduce dazzle and blind spots, turning off interior lights and dimming dashboard lights to avoid reflections.
When driving at night, it is vital to read the road ahead and take note of headlights appearing on the horizon, as the vehicle could disappear into a dip or around a bend and reappear at a moment's notice.
While reading the road ahead, it is also important to travel at speeds that would allow you to stop quickly and safely if necessary.
Mr Elstow said: "Driving in the dark isn't all danger and drawbacks, but remember speed is more difficult to judge in the dark, especially approach speeds, so take care. And remember, stop and sleep when you need to."
Research from road safety charity Brake recently revealed that one in eight drivers in the UK experienced 'head-nodding' at some point last year – resulting in them dropping off to sleep for between two and thirty seconds.
