12 tips to combat the fear of driving at night

Many people start or end their working day driving at night, a situation that is quite uncomfortable for a percentage of the population. Facing the darkness of the night causes certain insecurities behind the wheel, since a greater effort must be made to see the road better. If we add to this adverse weather conditions, the insecurities of the drivers increase, since the risk of suffering a traffic accident increases.

Although the majority of traffic accidents occur during the day, their severity is greater if they occur at night. This is because the reaction capacity of road users is 90% dependent on vision, a capacity that is considerably reduced at night. Therefore, below we give you a series of tips that are of great help to combat the fear of driving at night:

1. First of all, it is essential that you check that the lighting systems of your vehicle are working properly. If you usually drive in hours of poor visibility, it is recommended that you equip your car with advanced lighting technologies (smart headlights, xenon, LED or infrared night vision) to make you feel more comfortable and to ensure maximum safety on the road.
2. A good headlight adjustment is key, since if they are incorrectly positioned, different anomalies will be observed in the lighting. In case of using the dipped headlights, a bad setting can cause dazzling to the cars coming from the front or even loss of visibility; while with high-beam headlights, a poor setting can cause loss of light on the road and loss of light distance.
3. You must be respectful with the rest of the drivers on the roads when using the low beams, the road lights and the fog lights.
4. It is important that you turn on the crossing lights at least one hour before sunset.
5. You should avoid driving with the interior light on, as it causes a greater contrast between the interior and exterior of the vehicle, considerably reducing vision.



6. It is also essential that you make a good adjustment of the exterior and interior rear view mirrors in order to avoid dazzling. How should you do it? To position the mirrors correctly it is essential that you have the flat and immobilized car. With the seat and steering wheel adjusted, you can move on to manipulating the mirrors. The interior mirror must be positioned so that you get the best view through the rear window of the car by moving only your eyes, that is, without moving your head. Next, to adjust the exterior mirrors, you must orient the mirrors until you can see the road and the rear side of the car without moving your head.
7. The cleaning of the rear window and windshield glass is essential, as it helps prevent reflections bothersome at night.



8. It is essential that you adapt your speed to the lighting conditions on the road and increase your safety distance from the vehicle in front to obtain a greater reaction time in case of mishap.
9. During night trips, it is recommended that you drive on roads in good condition and well lit, preferably on highways.
10. Safety doesn’t just depend on vehicle maintenance; your eyesight is also very important, so it is essential that you have regular annual check-ups with an optician – optometrist or ophthalmologist.
11. When embarking on a night trip, it is advisable that you be rested and have a rest stops every hour or hour and a half of the journey. In case of detecting any symptoms of tearing, eye fatigue, itchy eyes or drowsiness, you must find a safe place to stop the vehicle and rest, before continuing with the trip.
12. To avoid the symptoms of sleepiness, it is best to increase the frequency of monitoring the mirrors, ventilate the cabin well and listen to music that does not distract you from driving.