Winter driving brings
many challenges, one of which is that drivers spend more time driving in the
dark. This creates a totally different set of challenges as one’s “risk”
increases dramatically. Some of these are physical, while others are security
issues.

After the sun goes
down, a driver’s depth perception, colour recognition, and peripheral vision
are all compromised. In addition, the driver is more likely to share the road
with impaired and fatigued drivers, noticeably on many of our long distance
routes.

According to research
in the US, road fatalities are three times greater at night. In SA one can only
imagine that this may be even worse due to the high incidence of pedestrian
deaths.

Here are some
night-time driving tips from MasterDrive which we trust will make the journey
somewhat safer.

- 
   Make sure your headlights are set correctly and that
they’re clean.

- 
   Many dashboards have the option of dimming the instrument
lights – if so, dim them for improved visibility.

- 
   Don’t look directly at oncoming lights. Look to the left of
the road as you will be able to see the side of the road and keep yourself
orientated.

- 
   If you wear glasses, make sure they’re anti-reflective (and
clean)

- 
   Make sure the windscreen is clean – it’s amazing how much
strain a dirty screen puts on the eyes.

- 
   Slow down to compensate for limited visibility and reduced
stopping time.

The video link offers
some practical tips on ensuring that you don’t “overdrive” your headlights at
night.

Till next time - Remember
to adjust your driving to suit changed circumstances.

Eugene Herbert