Although there are drivers who consider themselves night owls and prefer to drive and travel at night, the reality is that, taking into account the density of traffic during those hours, the probability of having an accident is much higher. There are greater risks and different conditions that we must keep in mind to improve our security. But do you know what you have to take into account to drive better in these conditions?
Driving at night is not the same for everyone
drive a clear night and with a full moon on a good road it is a memorable experience, but if you change the scenario (narrow road, sharp curves, heavy traffic, rain…), driving can become torture.
The problem is when more than out of confidence you do not dare to take your car when the sun does not shine for fear of suffering some kind of problem Of vision. In general, interurban roads, although well signposted, are not well lit, while there are many who do not have all of them with them due to the lights of cars coming in the opposite direction.
Whatever the problem, if you plan to travel after sunset, or before, you should take into account some details that we will present to you below, and that will look really good for driving at night. Not only will you travel with more self-confidence, but you will also much safer.
Surveillance, breaks, distance… for your safety
Something must be taken into account; Most accidents in Spain occur during the day, around 70% of accidents with victims, both on urban and interurban roads. However, although during the night, dusk and dawn, only 28% of the accidents with victims take place, these claim almost the 40% of deceased and with a higher percentage of fatal accidents (38%).
And this despite the fact that it is the period with the least circulatory intensity. And it is that while the fatality rate of accidents in Spain was 1.2% in 2021, that of night accidents, including dusk and dawn, reaches 1.69, 40% higher! That is why it is so important to consider what we can do when driving at night for a better security and comfort.
- Remember to turn on the dipped beam lighting at least An hour before of sunset.
- Moderate the speed. It seems evident that when we have reduced visibility, we must reduce our speed accordingly. However, many times we forget this important aspect and we get carried away by the fact that the road is practically empty and, far from driving more slowly, we increase the speed. It is very important that you do not lose sight of the fact that you must be able to stop the car completely within the field illuminated by the headlights if something unforeseen occurs. Some experts recommend that the maximum speed be reduced by 20% compared to daylight hours, that is, 90 km/h on the highway.
- be more vigilant. When driving at night we must increase the frequency with which we look in the rear view mirrors to anticipate any situation.
- Increases the break frequency. It is recommended to stop the vehicle every hour and a half to clear your mind and also to be able to have more controlled cleaning of the windows and thus avoid dangerous glare.
- Make the restful trip. In any case, always during a night trip it is advisable to make rest stops every hour or hour and a half of the journey.
- Fold the safety distance. At night, your reaction time decreases when driving, and if we add to this a possible problem with the lights of the vehicle in front of you, it can be a serious problem. Thus, going too close to another vehicle is always dangerous, but at night try to double the safety distance.
- check your lighting. It is important that you check that your car’s lighting system is working properly. If we are one of the drivers who circulate in hours of less visibility, it would be recommended that we increase the frequency of revision. Also, and for greater comfort and safety, we can choose to install smart headlights, infrared night vision, xenon or LED lights.
