Stay Safe When Driving at Night

Driving is a serious undertaking .The responsibility that comes with operating a motor vehicle should not be taken lightly; not only are you accountable for yourself and your own passengers, you are also accountable for the effects your actions may have on others on the road. Driving at night adds an extra layer of responsibility that requires extra alertness and focus. But by following a few easy steps, you can greatly increase your night driving safety.

Whether you’re looking for teen or adult driver education in Oregon, Pacific Driver Education has the best classes around. We are dedicated to offering a well-rounded education to drivers of all ages, and it’s because of that dedication that we like to offer up info like the tips you’ll find below:

Tips for Driving at Night

Visibility: First and foremost it’s important to understand that one of the biggest drawbacks to driving at night is severely decreased visibility. It’s harder to see road signs, other drivers, hazards and pedestrians. The best way to counter this decreased visibility is to stay alert, slow down and allow more space between your car and other cars on the road than you would in the daylight hours.

Distractions: This tip applies in the daylight hours as well, but even more so at night—don’t allow for any distractions such as smoking, eating and talking on your cell phone. Stay focus on the task at hand, which is driving, and pay close attention to your surroundings.

Headlights: Be aware of the scope of your headlights and don’t override it. If you need to stop, be sure that you can stop within the beam of your headlights. Only use your high beams when not in the immediate vicinity of other vehicles. If another vehicle is coming towards you and hasn’t lowered their high beams, focus your vision on the right side of the road to avoid the effects of the glare.

Vehicle Maintenance: Check your car regularly to be sure all your lights are working properly. You should also be sure to routinely clean your car windows so that the glare from oncoming headlights won’t affect your visibility any more than it is already affected.

Alertness: You’re more likely to be tired when driving at night. If you’re taking a long trip, be sure to pull over often so you can stretch and walk around, this should help you stay awake and alert. We cannot stress this final tip enough: If you are sleepy and breaks aren’t helping to combat that, find somewhere safe to pull over—such as a motel or a campground—and sleep through the night.

Proper driver education is a must for teens and adults alike. At Pacific DriverEducation, we offer top-tier Oregon drivers education programs tailored to both teens and adults, both inside the classroom and behind the wheel. We offer instructions in all areas of driving—everything from the basic beginning steps of operating a motor vehicle to the best practices for driving in unfavorable conditions. If you’re looking for the best private driving lessons Beaverton, Oregon has to offer, you’ll find them here. Whatever your driver education needs, Pacific Driver Education has you covered!