Drivers must always prioritize their safety on the road. Many will think of guidelines like watching out for obstacles, following the speed limit, and limiting distractions. Others also forget that the weather condition and time will affect their driving patterns.Driving at night can be challenging due to potential fatigue and decreased visibility. It can also present challenges that you might not encounter during the daytime.
Educate yourself on how to keep yourself and other passengers safewhile driving on the road, whether you’re driving for yourself, driving for a ridesharing app, or driving a massive commercial vehicle.
Look in the Backseat
Even if you’re driving in broad daylight, you should make it a habit to look into your rearview mirrors and backseats. Most attackers and hijackers tend to hide in the backseat until you drive off. It’s common in quick stops like going into a rest area, running into a gas station, and more. Likewise, they know these places are quick, and you’re less likely to check your vehicle’s doors. Others will not wait long for owners to return to their cars in many situations.
Don’t Listen to Strangers
Other road accidents involving women occur because the attacker signals or flashes a driver. It’ll alert the latter that something is wrong with the other party’s vehicle. Don’t stop on the road during these situations, especially if it’s nighttime and you can’t find other drivers nearby. Unless you think you’re in immediate danger, drive to a safer place like in a busy parking lot with security cameras or a police station.
Know Where You Parked
You should still be mindful after reaching your destination. Most secluded parking lots will make you feel vulnerable to assault, rape, or muggings. You should avoid isolated or dark areas to keep yourself protected. One tip to remember is parking near street lights or in the most populated places possible. Make sure to ask a friend or relative to be your companion when driving late at night. Or, you can call for help.
Be Sure to Call for Help
Don’t delay calling for help if your vehicle breaks down on the road. You can contact a friend, family member, or police officer from the area. Most strangers might want to offer their assistance. Take the opportunity of these situations, especially if you’re the only one around. However, you still have to be mindful.
Lock the Vehicle’s Doors
Make it a habit to always lock the doors, even if you’re driving. You might have decided to stop by a convenience store or pull over at a stop sign. Most attackers will take these opportunities to attack vulnerable people. For example, they jump into your car, demanding to hand over the keys or follow their instructions. Locking the car’s doors is a simple habit that will save your automobile and life.
Maintain Your Vehicles
You don’t want your vehicle to break down at the most unexpected moments, so follow the routine maintenance schedule. It’ll keep them in good condition. Furthermore, it’ll be helpful to educate yourself about a few DIY maintenance tasks, including changing the oils, topping up vehicle fluids, cleaning air filters, and replacing flat tires. You should get the right amount of fluids when changing them to reach your destination. That will prevent you from making unnecessary stops where attackers can be lurking.
Know Headlight Safety
Learning about headlight safety is another fundamental factor that will prevent driving accidents. If your car is not using automatic headlights, one tip is to turn them on an hour before sunset until one hour after sunrise. You should also teach yourself what to do if an oncoming vehicle doesn’t dim its headlights.
Keep following the lines on the right side of the road until the other vehicle drives by. It’ll allow you to pass safely and minimize disorientation by the other side’s headlights.
Know to Boost Visibility
You can find safety tips that will help you increase visibility at night, including:
- Keep your windows clean to reduce distractions and glares.
- Maintain your headlights. Yellowed or cloudy headlights will only affect the level of illumination, compromising your sight at night.
- Find the right angles of your outside mirrors so that your view is clear.
- Keep interview vehicle lights minimal.
Little to no visibility is one of the common reasons for road collisions, especially among truck drivers. If truck drivers get injured in an accident, they shouldn’t hesitate to call an18-wheeler truck accident attorneyfor assistance. Their lawyer can provide significant help in this situation.
If you have astigmatism, you should immediately consult your eye doctor because that can affect your vision while driving at night. Your eye doctor can prescribe special glasses for driving at night to avoid glare from lights and blurred vision.
Driving by yourself shouldn’t be a scary and uncomfortable experience; however, there are dangerous situations that you should look out for. By developing a few safety habits and being mindful of your surroundings, you can protect yourself when driving alone.