Nothing says winter is right around the corner like Daylight Savings. While that extra hour of sleep was nice, the early darkness is a little bit more difficult to get used to. If you live in Plattsburgh, NY; Burlington, VT; Lake Placid, Malone, or Queensbury, NY, you’re probably driving home from work while the sun is almost down, or even worse, completely gone. The dark commute home may take some getting used to, which is why DELLA Kia has six tips for safe driving in the dark.
- Avoid Lighting Distractions: Lighting distractions can momentarily blind or compromise your forward vision, and as we all know, it only takes a split second for an accident to happen. Try to avoid looking at oncoming headlights and keep your instrument panel and dashboard lights dim.
- Scan the Road: When the sun goes down, our depth perception is less accurate. Trying not to focus on a single point while driving will help this, as well as prevent your eyes from becoming dry and tired from concentrating.
- Aim Headlights: Believe it or not, your headlights could be aligned incorrectly. Aiming them properly will allow you to see directly in front of you and avoid blinding other drivers.
- Leave Some Room: We know you’re in a rush to get home, but it’s always a good idea to leave a little extra room this time of year. You might be a pro at driving at night, but the person in front of you may not be so skilled. Your distance will allow extra braking time if they don’t see something until last minute or an animal jumps out in the road.
- Clean Your Windshield: While your windshield might look pretty clean during the day, but once the sun goes down, any smudges or streaks can rear their ugly head. This adds to the glare of oncoming headlights and visibility issues, so be sure to wipe the inside of your windshield. We suggest using newspaper!
- Take a Nap: This is by far our favorite suggestion! While it’s only an hour difference, the time change can throw off your body’s circadian rhythm. If you are feeling tired, find a safe place to park and take a quick snooze before getting on the road.
Dee, Sarah. “6 Tips for Driving Safely in the Dark.” Autoblog. N.p., 02 Nov. 2016. Web. 08 Nov. 2016. <http://www.autoblog.com/2016/11/02/6-tips-for-driving-safely-in-the-dark/>.
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