When it comes to driving at night, there tends to be a much greater risk than there would be during the daytime. It doesn’t just get darker at night, but people become more tired after a long day, increased number of drunk drivers on the road, and people have less time to react in situations where you might not see something coming at you.

According to the National Safety Council, the chances of you getting into a fatal crash are three times greater at night time. It’s essential to understand how you can better your chances of avoiding a harmful situation by practicing safe driving habits for yourself, others, and your car. Auto Repairs can be expensive if you find yourself in an accident at night time, so it’s always best to be aware of how you can protect yourself and stay covered under an extended warranty!

Avoid Looking into the Light of Oncoming Vehicles

Vehicles today have powerful and bright headlights due to the advanced technology of LED and HID headlamps. The two major types of glare that people encounter on the road are “disability glare” and “discomfort glare.” Disability glare is much more harmful than discomfort, as it directly impairs your ability to see what’s ahead of you and drive safely. Regardless, drivers should avoid looking directly into any of these lights at night by focusing their vision forward in another direction. It can also be helpful to slow down a little, so you have more time to stop if necessary.

Clean Windshield and Headlights

If your windshield is dirty, it can make it harder to see during the day and night. Cleaning your windshield regularly with water and windshield wipers will give you greater visibility and eliminate stress on the road. Cleaning your headlights is another smart thing to do that most people don’t do regularly. If your lights have a dirty coat over them, it can diminish the intensity and distance that the light reaches, giving you less visibility as to what is ahead of you.

Aim Headlights Correctly

Many people don’t realize that they need to readjust their headlights every so often as they naturally become unaligned. This can affect where the light is aimed at the road, and if it’s off-center, it may become a distraction for others on the road.

Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep at Night

Good sleep habits are crucial for your mental well-being. Doctors say we need at least 7 hours of sleep at night, and if we don’t get that, we should maybe reconsider getting behind the wheel. If you are dozing off and not 100% focused on what’s happening around you, you put yourself and others at risk. If you get no sleep, go to work, and later try to get home after an 8-hour day, chances are that you are not fully rested and should not be operating a vehicle. Be responsible!

Lower the Brightness Within Your Car

Sometimes if your phone or the navigation board is too bright, it makes it harder to see what’s in front of you when it’s dark out. At night, it’s recommended to lower the illumination levels of these screens to increase eyesight outside of the vehicle.

Slow Down!!

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Lowering your speed when it’s dark out will keep you more reliable if you need to stop suddenly. Even if you’re in a hurry to get home, don’t compromise your life or others to save ten minutes. You’ll be happier in the end.