Night Driving and Road Safety

Introduction

Road authorities agree that night driving presents unique challenges, increased risks and numerous deaths and injuries. It is estimated by the National Safety Council in the U.S. that traffic death rates are three times greater at night than during the day.

Many drivers believe that there is safety in reduced traffic and are unaware of how to deal with the challenges of driving at night, sharing the roads with those less responsible road users venturing onto the roads.

The most obvious way to avoid the dangers inherent to night driving is to simply not drive at night - and for long travels to use other forms of transport if they are available.

While we advise against driving at night, where possible, we recognize that some have to drive at night and cannot delay travel for daytime and good weather. In this section, we would like to share advice and provide information that may make driving at night a bit safer!

Why is driving at night so dangerous?

There are many reasons for the increased risks. They include:

Decreased visibility. Depth perception, colour recognition, and peripheral vision are compromised after sundown.
Many inexperienced young drivers are on the roads at night and do not have the skills and concentration that comes with experience.
Elderly drivers need more light to see as well as the younger drivers.
Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and bikers are often not clearly visible to motorists and vice versa.
Reduced ability to judge speed and distance at night.
Sharing the roads with many drunk drivers and pedestrians returning from bars, parties etc. late at night.
Sharing the roads with fatigued drivers after a hard day of work or those who have been driving long distances.
Vehicle lighting cannot illuminate very far allowing little time and space to react and bring the vehicle to a stop.
Wildlife venture onto the roads with these risks increased in areas where fences are broken or removed.
Criminals are often lurking in the dark, placing objects in the road to cause crashes and rob drivers and occupants.

How can we make driving at night safer?

Not every risk is beyond our control. We can make informed decisions and with the necessary pre-trip planning and adjustments to the driving behaviour, we are able to make our driving at night safer!

Driver Fitness: Vision

The most important aspect to consider is what we can see and how far we can see! If you cannot see you should not be driving!
We must acknowledge that we cannot see as much and as far as we can during the daytime, making our road environment more dangerous.
We are dependent on artificial light hence our reduced ability to see road signs, vehicles, pedestrians and other hazards.
We are also less able to pick up sudden movements quickly and respond to them effectively at night.
Our eyes often take time to adjust from the wide range of light from pitch dark to strong light.
Many drivers suffer from night blindness (nyctalopia), is a condition that makes it hard to see in poor light or at night.
Night blindness leads to decreased vision at night or in poor light, peripheral vision problems and possible loss of central vision.

We recommend that drivers go for check-ups, especially if they believe that they might experience symptoms of night blindness. The older a driver gets the more frequent these check-ups should be repeated.

Age can make eyes more sensitive to glare and eye sensitivity could also be increased by medical conditions such as cataracts.

Driver Fitness: Alertness & Avoiding Fatigue

Driver distractions are more than conversations on the cellular phone or the sending of text messages. They also include other factors that reduce our ability to focus on the road at night - such as fatigue/ tiredness and alcohol!

Driver fatigue/ tiredness/ drowsiness make driving more difficult by reducing concentration and slowing reaction time.
Many drivers fall into a "microsleep" where the driver unknowingly falls asleep for a mere second or two at a time. A microsleep is virtually undetectable by a fatigued driver
Not only the body may get fatigued but also our eyes from staring straight ahead for a prolonged period of time.
Alcohol not only impairs driving ability but also induces fatigue.
Not only other drivers may be impaired at night, but also many pedestrians cross or stumble onto roads while intoxicated.
Avoid smoking when driving as the nicotine and carbon monoxide hamper night vision.
Stay alert to the fact that even though you may feel wide alert, many others may not be!

What can/should we do to remain alert?

Do not start the drive if you have not adequately rested.
Avoid taking medication or foods that may make you drowsy.
Plan ahead - it helps to have a passenger to converse with or share the driving duties.
Try to avoid long trips in the dark - if this is not possible, scheduling regular breaks are important. Make frequent stops for light snacks and exercise.
Do not fight your biological clock - If Tired Stop, Rest at a Safe Spot!

Vehicle Roadworthiness and Adjustments

A well-maintained vehicle will allow for safer driving at night and reduce the risks of the driver getting stranded alongside the road! We would like to offer advice on aspects to consider before turning the ignition:

Properly aligned headlights will help you see the road better and also prevent you from blinding oncoming drivers - We advise having them checked regularly with your dealer/mechanic.
Check that all exterior lights work properly - front and rear, brake lights, turn signals and high beams.
It is best to ensure that they both work at the same level of efficiency or to replace them in pairs.
They must also be clean as dirty headlights can greatly reduce efficiency.
Your brake lights need to give drivers behind you the critical warning and reaction time when you need to make an emergency stop.
Ensure your windows and headlights are clean (inside and outside). Dirty windows can add to glare and impair vision, making it more difficult to see.
This will also prevent frost, ice or condensation from placing further restrictions on visibility.
Check that there is enough windshield spray in the tank.
Adjust your vehicle's interior lighting - dim your dashboard lights to prevent stray reflections and improve forward vision.
Avoid using any other light inside your vehicle.
Exterior mirrors that are properly aligned not only reduce blind spots, they also reduce glare from vehicles behind you.
Adjust outside mirrors so that the bodywork of the vehicle is just outside of the driver's view.
Aim them so that you can move your head out of the path of lights reflected in them by adjusting them down just slightly.
This may allow you to keep the other car's headlights out of your eyes - and prevent them from temporarily blinding you with their high beams.
Most rear-view mirrors can be tilted to a "day-night" setting, which changes the angle of the reflective surface and appears to dim the mirror.
Your windscreen wipers must be fully functional as risks increase driving in bad weather at night.

Using the Lights safely and effectively when driving at night

Do not delay using the lights - use them earlier rather than later to make yourself more visible to other road users.
Always be careful with your high beams so you don't blind others and cause a head-on collision.
Be considerate with use of full beam. Don’t use the full beam in town.
Do not forget that your high beams are on -Always dim your lights for oncoming traffic.
If an oncoming vehicle fails to dim their high beams be very cautious as to how you alert such a driver by flashing your lights.
If well away from the oncoming vehicle and you decide to do so swiftly don't leave your high beams on in spite or to "get back" at the oncoming driver.
Slow down if the other driver is blinding you with his high beam - it is not the correct response to match his mistake by doing the same. Think Safety!
If the oncoming vehicle does not dim their lights, look towards the left side of the road [countries driving left side of the road] and try not to look directly at the oncoming headlights, rather, use your peripheral vision.
Look at the lane marker as a guide then look quickly ahead to determine the other vehicle’s position. Keep doing this until you have passed the other vehicle.
Be aware that oncoming truck drivers, seated much higher than you may be blinded by your lights much earlier than you are their lights!
When following another vehicle, keep your headlights on low beam to avoid blinding the driver ahead of you.
Do not use high beams when it’s foggy - they will reduce your own ability to see and may temporarily blind other drivers.
If your vehicle is equipped with fog lamps, use them with your low beams only when there is fog or inclement weather and not for ordinary night driving.
Fog lamps are a bit more effective at cutting through fog, but their intensity can hurt the eyes of other motorists if it's a clear night.

Defensive / Safe Driving Techniques when driving at Night

Driving at night requires defensive and thoughtful driving! We would like to offer some suggestions on safe driving techniques:

Plan your route so you're aware of any steep descents, sharp corners and other hazards specific to that route.
Use your headlights from sunset until sunrise and during periods of poor visibility and bad weather. When in doubt as to whether you should use your lights, turn them on!
Remain very alert to vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists and avoid any distractions when driving.
Avoid looking directly into oncoming headlights - you may be dazzled. Look at the left-hand side of the road and drive well to the left. If blinded -rather slow down or stop.
Adjust your speed and be ready to slow down - allow yourself the time and space to react to whatever comes out of the dark.
A safe speed should enable you to brake or manoeuvre to avoid a hazard without endangering those around you, and to stop within the distance you can see to be clear.
On rural and less well-maintained roads a slower speed is necessary to spot pot-holes and to evade driving through them.
Be aware that it is more difficult to judge speed and distance at night.
Increase following distance to increase crash avoidance space.
Keep your eyes moving and watch for flashes of light - at the top of hills, at road bends and intersections - that may indicate the headlights of other cars.
To prevent fatigue from increased and prolonged concentration take frequent breaks to give your eyes a chance to recover.
Do not overdrive your headlights. You should be able to stop inside the illuminated area that you can clearly see. This distance becomes less in bad weather.
Your headlights should illuminate the road ahead of you for approximately 4 seconds of headway. If you have poor headlights or you aren't getting at least a 4-second headway, it's best to slow down.
Remain cautious to animals on the road - you may see the eyes of the animal reflect in the headlights long before you see the animal.
Swerving is no guarantee that you'll miss the animal and creates a much more dangerous situation for everyone. Hold your lane, keep the wheel straight, and apply the brakes as firmly as possible while still maintaining control.
Be extra cautious at all intersections when driving at night - both for those skipping the red light and criminals seeking to pounce on vehicles that are stationary.
Approach slowly, look both ways and proceed with caution - do not assume safety!
Drive to the side of the road on multi-lane roadways to avoid drunk drivers - but this will require alertness to pedestrian activity as well!
Do not blind drunk drivers -they have a habit of driving towards bright lights while driving at night.
Do not use cruise control when driving at night - keep both hands on the steering wheel and all your focus on steering the vehicle safely!

It is advised that employers establish a safe driving policy taking cognisance of routes, work and driving hours to reduce required travel at night.

Readiness for Emergencies

One of the reasons why it is best to avoid driving at night is the risks of vehicle failure and other emergencies that could leave you stranded in dangerous areas. There are less traffic, more criminal activity and fewer opportunities for assistance from the right responders!

If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible. Warn approaching traffic at once by setting up reflecting triangles near your vehicle and 100m behind it.
Turn on flashers and the interior dome light.
Stay off the roadway and get passengers away from the area - if possible - stay with your vehicle.
Pre-trip planning is important to enable you the best chance at safety and survival.
A GPS device providing location information and a fully charged cellular phone is needed to request swift emergency response!

Conclusion

It is important to recognize the increased risks when driving at night. If we cannot avoid driving at this time we need to be well prepared and to adjust our driving to be more defensive!

Also view:

Pedestrian collisions at Night

Defensive Driving and Road Safety

Safe Driving in Bad Weather Conditions

Lighting and Safe Driving

Safe Driving at Sunrise and Sunset / Dusk and Dawn