Drive safely in low-light conditions with these tips
Night drives are fun. At night, there will be lesser traffic on the roads, and the cooler (and denser) air allows your engine to burn fuel better, subsequently leading to better performance and higher fuel efficiency. All this, along with a little music, makes driving at night a real pleasure.
However, night drives can be as dangerous as they are fun. All the dangers of driving during the day are amplified at night. Visibility is low, there are higher chances of drunk drivers, and you are more likely to be drowsy. Moreover, if an accident takes place, chances of finding help are also reduced. Having a motor insurance cover with a roadside assistance feature, would help with this though.
Additionally, there are several steps you can take to make your night driving experience safer and more enjoyable. Here are the top 5 safety tips for night driving.
Wipe the Windshield with Newspaper
Instead of using your hands to clean your windshield, it is smarter to clean it with newspaper. This is because when you clean your windshield with your bare hands, it causes the oil from your hands to stick to the glass. This causes smudges that could block your vision at night. Therefore, using newspaper is a better idea.
Make Use of the Fog Lamps
Fog lamps have a wider reach than regular headlamps, and can help you see farther as well. This makes them great for driving at night, and not just in foggy weather. However, you need to be careful as well, since fog lamps tend to project big shadows of small potholes, bumps, and rocks.
Be Careful of the Animals
The light beams from headlights lend to reflect off of the eyes of animals that might be on the road. This is a good way to spot them at night on country roads that don’t have street lamps. Slow down in case an animal crosses your path, instead of trying to get past it, as that scares them more, and increases the chances of an accident.
Adjust and Clean Your Mirrors
Cleaning and adjusting your rear-view and side mirrors is a basic step whenever you go out to drive, be it day or night. However, it is especially important at night to ensure that there are no smudges on them. Additionally, it is a good idea to position the rear-view mirror slightly downward to avoid glares from the headlights of cars behind you.
Wear the Right Glasses
These days there are a lot of companies that sell glasses specifically for night driving. It is better to stop and evaluate these carefully before buying. More often than not, a pair of regular/ plain glasses with anti-glare lenses are the best choice.
Lastly, remember that having a vehicle insurance policy gives you peace of mind while driving, be it day or night. Be sure to read the policy document to understand the terms and conditions, before you apply online though!
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