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Safety Tips For Night Driving

​Going on a night out with your bes​ties? Or perhaps that ever elusive long drive that you wanted to take with your spouse is going to entail night driving.  In either of the cases, exercising utmost caution is a must!

​Saying that driving at night is a tricky affair is an understatement. When driving at night, the risks and dangers faced during the day are amplified to a great extent. Simply put, it is something that needs to be avoided as much as possible. But there are times when it is inevitable. For those days, here are few tips and best practices like having car insu​rance​ to ensure your nocturnal excursions are as safe as possible.

  • Wipe windshield – the smart way!
Here’s an interesting hack – You should wipe the windshield with a newspaper. Yes, you heard it right. Many of us tend to clean or wipe the grime off the car mirror or the windshield glass with our bare hands. Doing this causes the oil from our hands to stick to the glass that result in smudges that can block the vision during the night. Thus, make sure you have a stack of newspapers in the car!

  • Utilize the fog lamps
A lot of guys underestimate the utility of fog lamps or don’t know their use altogether. Apart from being helpful in improving visibility during foggy weather, the fog lamps also prove useful during night driving. Having a wider reach than regular headlamps, they help you to see farther beyond the road. There is a downside, however. The fog lamps project big shadows of small potholes, bumps, and rocks.

  • Watch the animals 
Here is an interesting night driving hack. ​The light from your headlights when reflected from the eyes of an animal, emit a distinct glow. This is a great pointer to anticipate the presence of an animal on country roads where there are no street lights to illuminate your path. In the event that an animal comes out of the blue in front of your car, the best strategy is to slow down as soon as possible. Refrain from trying to move past the bewildered animal.
 
  • Adjust and clean the mirrors
This is one of most basic yet crucial things. Clean the side as well as rear-view mirrors to ensure that there is no grime or smudges that blur the rear view. Here’s a quick tip, position the mirror slightly downward. With this, you can avoid the glare of car headlights from the rear. Otherwise, you can get a glance of the rear view by tilting your head slightly forward.

  • Wear the right glasses
We find a lot of adverts about glasses specially designed for the night driving. Before buying them, we should evaluate them carefully. Some companies claim that their sunglasses can be used at night time. It is for the best that you avoid wearing such sunglasses. Going for transparent ones that have anti-glare lenses is the best bet.
   
So these were a few best practices to help your nightly travel become safer. Along with these tips, it is essential that you have a car insurance policy​ with adequate coverage. Vehicle insurance gives you the added layer of security that will help you stay protected from a number of risks while driving.