Shining a Light on Night Driving

More car accidents happen during the day than in the evening. That makes sense, because there are more cars in the daytime than at night. But fatal car accidents are fare more likely to happen in the late afternoon until before sunrise (4pm to 4am), according to a study by the US National Safety Council. The key reasons for this increase in danger is a combination of driver fatigue or sleepiness, reduced visibility (more so when it's dark and it's raining), and greater incidence of drunk driving (especially in the weekends). In addition, we have many roads that have inadequate lighting or even no streetlights, hazards such as potholes and unmarked road construction, and other potential dangers.

It's impossible, however, to not drive at night, whether it is to attend a social gathering, commute to or from work, or travel from one place to another. But in the interest of safety, we have compiled a series of tips that can help keep you safe after the sun goes down.

1. Drive slower. This sounds like common sense, but it's a very important step to minimize accidents. Lower speeds give the driver more time to react to road hazards and lower the load on tires and brakes.

   
   

2. Clean your headlight lens and check all the bulbs. In some areas in the province, lighting on the road is not great. Start with cleaning the headlight lenses to make sure your bulbs can properly illuminate the road. Some car washes and detailers offer headlight restoration for cloudy or yellowing headlight lenses. Also consider upgrading your light bulbs for even better visibility. Use higher output bulbs, and avoid using bulbs with headlight temps above 5000K, which are actually worse for visibility, especially in the rain.

   
   

3. Turn on your low beam headlights - do not use your high beams, hazard lights, or park lights. High beams might help you, but can blind oncoming traffic and cause him to crash, or worse, crash into you. Also, high beams actually are worse for visibility in rainy and foggy conditions, as the light reflects off the water vapor and bounces straight to the driver's eyeline. Hazard lights should only be used by cars that are a hazard to other vehicles, either by being stopped on the road or moving slowly due to problems, while park lights are only meant for cars that are stopped on the side of the road. Misuse of these lights can lead to miscommunication with other vehicles on the road and lead to further accidents. International safety regulations ensure that your car's low beam headlights and taillights are more than enough to ensure you are visible to other motorists.

   
   

4. Check the alignment of your headlights. Lights that are too low can reduce forward visibility by only illuminating what is directly in front of you. On the other hand, lights that are too high can blind oncoming traffic and cause a collision - possibly with you in it. As a general rule, headlights should be pointed slightly downward, and you can adjust them yourself or have a local workshop adjust them for you.

   
   

5. Night time driving is made even worse when it rains, so check and clean your wiper blades and check your windshield wiper fluid. Wiper blades should be soft and flexible, with out tears. Cleaning the wiper blades help extend their life and prevent rips on the rubber blade and scratches on the windshield. Using proper windshield wiper fluid also improves the wiper performance helps extend the wiper blade life.

   
   

Of course, having the best lighting products is the best way to ensure your car has great visibility all conditions, and AutoPerformance carries Bosch light bulbs and PIAA light bulbs and auxiliary light pods and light bars. Contact us to find a dealer near you, or buy now at the AutoPerformance Official Store in Lazada.