Tips for Driving in the Dark

With summer coming to an end, the days are now getting shorter with the sun setting earlier and the clocks going back in October. While there is something special about this time of the year, it can also be a stressful time for motorists, particularly when it comes to driving in the dark. Here are a few tips for driving in the dark that will hopefully help and allow you to drive safely and with confi-dence.

Check Your Lights

First and perhaps foremost, you should check that all of your lights are working properly. Defective lights are a common cause of collisions at night time and in winter, so you should test all of your lights and get someone to walk around the car to ensure that they are all working. To ensure maximum safety, book an MOT online so that you can be sure that your lights are in the best possible condition (and to highlight any other issues with your car).

Keep Windows & Mirrors Clean

Visibility can be an issue when driving at night, which is why you need to make sure that you are not making matters worse for yourself with smeared glass or dirty mirrors. Get into a habit of cleaning your windows and mirrors on a regular basis and always before you set off on a journey at night time to increase visibil-ity.

Pre-Plan Your Route

You should also think about your route in advance and choose one that will pro-vide the most visibility even if it takes slightly longer. Try to avoid winding coun-try roads and instead stick to motorways and residential areas where you will benefit from external lights that will make it safer to drive.

Avoid Driver Drowsiness

10 to 20% of accidents in the UK are caused by driver tiredness and this is some-thing that you need to be wary of when driving at night. Driving in the dark can make you more bleary-eyed and you are more likely to be tired, so you should al-ways think before you grab the keys and avoid driving if you are feeling tired. If you start to feel tired while behind the wheel then you might find it helpful to drive with the window down or pull over and have a caffeinated drink and stretch your legs.

Be Extra Aware

You should also be extra aware when driving at night and look out for children, elderly people, cyclists and animals and always look out for reflective cloth-ing/equipment.

Have an Emergency Kit

It is also smart to have a winter emergency kit in your car. This should contain items such as a high-vis jacket, torch, phone charger and de-icer.

Hopefully, this post will be useful and help you to drive safely and with confidence during the winter months.