Spring has sprung and we are so excited for the warmer weather to finally come! One drawback of spring is the fact that we lost an hour of sleep and now when we wake up it is dark, aka we don’t want to get out of bed. If you’re like us and you find it hard to hit the road to work when the sun hasn’t even come up yet, then it’s the perfect time for us to talk about an important reminder. This week we want to remind you about the difficulties of driving in the dark and lend you some helpful tips to ensure you and everyone else on the road gets from point A to point B safely. I know, you might be thinking, I don’t need to read this because it’s light out by the time that I go to work. Well, that might true, but I bet I can say that you’ve driven on the road at least once this week in the dark and you would we agree, and even if you haven’t I’m sure you will sooner than later. So, it is important that everyone takes the time to read these helpful tips below, and if you have any questions feel free to give us a call and we will be happy to help!
Use those headlights!
- It’s a very good habit to form to start using your headlights more than not. I know that you’re thinking I’m crazy staying you should drive with your headlights on during the day, but that’s not exactly what I’m saying. It’s recommended that you turn your headlights on about an hour before dusk or an hour after dawn because this makes it easier for you to see as it gets darker/gets brighter.
- If it is a cloudy or stormy you should ALWAYS have your headlamps on. Your headlights don’t just help you see, they help other drivers see you! So keep those headlights on more than not!
Back off:
- It’s never a good idea to follow to close, it’s especially a bad idea during dark hours and during bad weather. There are many reasons this is bad, but one of the biggest is the fact that when you’re driving in the dark or during a storm your visibility is lower than in the day time. This may cause you to react slower and potentially causing an accident. Other reasons include the fact that your headlights will shine brightly into the other driver’s vehicle making it harder for them to see, and driving too close to another vehicle make the other driver nervous causing them to react or response poorly causing a potential accident.
Keep your eyes moving and alert:
- Especially at dusk, many animals like deers are out wondering looking for food. If you aren’t paying attention or alert an animal could come out in front of you and you might not have enough time to react because of your lack of visibility
- The same goes for pedestrians. If you drive in a city or on busy streets, be sure to keep your eyes out for pedestrians crossing the road, running to the bus, and even biking.
It’s all about the headlights:
- Keeping your headlights clean is extremely important. It’s obvious that headlights are used to help improve visibility in a storm and when it’s dark, but headlights tend to be neglected when vehicle maintenance happens.
- Having a dirty headlight decreases your visibility but it also increases the chance of a burn out with makes it harder or you to drive and could even get you a ticket.
Stay awake:
- Whether you’re on your early morning commute or you’re heading home after a long day, or even traveling home after a road trip, falling asleep at the wheel is a scary possibility and can cause serious injuries
- It’s recommended to start traveling while the sun is still up and then continue your drive into dusk because it is easier for the body to adjust. If it is out of your hands when you hit the road, don’t be afraid to take breaks, have a coffee, or make sure you have a buddy in the vehicle with you.
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