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F.36
Driving at
night
A
simple error, failing to switch on the headlights at night, caused
the following horror crash:
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It is raining and
winter time, already dark even at 5 pm. Rushing home from work to meet a tight
social schedule, the young driver is about to turn right, happy that there is
a break in the long queue of oncoming headlights.
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The experienced 25 year old judges
his approach to take advantage of turning without delay. After he decides to turn,
a last minute glimpse through the wet windscreen reveals a horrible truth. What
he had perceived as a gap in the traffic is a vehicle about to smash into him
- NO HEADLIGHTS!
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Basic
safety rules for night driving:
| Put your lights on
early! |
See
and Be seen! |
| Keep
your windscreen and
head-lights
clean.
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A
dirty windscreen, and/or dirty headlights reduce
visibility greatly, increasing the risk of crashing! |
| Don’t look
into oncoming headlights.
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To keep on course gauge your steering on the left boundary of the road, until
traffic has passed.
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| Dip your headlights
(minimum
200 m) for oncoming traffic ... |
...
and when following another vehicle. Most modern vehicles display a blue
warning light on the dashboard, when lights are on high beam.
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Driving
on high-beam may dazzle oncoming drivers, either directly
or via the rear-vision mirror. Find out before taking the
steering wheel of an unfamiliar vehicle (hire-car etc) which is
the high-beam switch. Looking for any control switch (seat
adjustment, windscreen wiper, lights etc.) while driving may lead
to a serious crash. (See Distraction, Chapter 26).
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