The 42% of the traffic accidents occur at night, a figure showing the risks involved when circulating during this time slot, decreasing your visual perception. We tell you the basic rules for driving at night with comfort and safety.
It would help if you kept in mind that you receive 90% of the traffic information through your view: for the luminous sensation, visual acuity, and the ability to recognize colors. These three processes are disturbed at night since the sight and the brain subjected to greater effort to be able to act quickly and effectively in any situation.
Also, there are other risks when driving at night. In addition to losing visual acuity and decreasing your field of vision, darkness can hide dangers that are visible in daylight, so you have to move with greater caution. The appearance of tiredness and fatigue occurs mainly between 4 and 6 in the morning when our alert level drops. And there are a greater number of drivers who have abused alcohol in this time slot.
Nevertheless, some people prefer to drive at night because of the lower traffic density, to drive more relaxed, and to maintain a higher speed. For that you have to be in good physical and psychological condition (without fatigue or ailments), the vehicle must be in good condition, and the trip must plan in time: know the itinerary well, the location of the rest areas, the weather conditions, the state of the roads, etc.
The ten rules to remember if you drive at night, compiled by the European Car Club are:
1. Reduce speed: You have to be able to stop the vehicle within the headlight housing lighting field completely. On the road, the maximum recommended speed is 90 kilometers per hour.
2. Maintain the safety distance: It must not be less than three seconds with the preceding vehicle.
3. Increase the frequency of looking at the mirrors: At least, you should look every ten seconds.
4. Increase the frequency of stops: You must stop to rest your legs and clean the glass well so as not to obstruct your vision.
5. At dusk, turn on the low beam: At the first sign of poor vision, turn on the lights. It is key to know.
6. Stop if symptoms of fatigue appear: Take any food or energy drink.
7. Stop if symptoms of drowsiness appear: Rest for about 20 minutes and drink some coffee or stimulant drink. If you are very tired, do not hesitate to sleep something.
8. Use the long lights if possible: On roads where there is no possibility to dazzle other vehicles, use the long lights instead of the crossing lights, thus increasing your nighttime perception.
9. Remove the long lights in overtaking: So that there are no risks of glare, if you cross with another vehicle, you must remove the long lights and put the crossing lights.
10. Reduce the intensity of the instrument panel light: The more light inside, the worse it looks outside.